Jailbait
by Walkingonsunsh1ne
Summary: Nicky Nichols/OFC Jane Grey is starting her sentence of 3 years at Litchfield Prison. Will she survive her time there? Watch as she makes friends, enemies and even finds a little love along the way. Starts at season 1. Slow burn
1. Chapter 1

**Authors note: Hi all! i've recently just finished OITNB, I know i'm a little late to the show. but I watched it all in a couple of weeks. I really love Nicky's character and though she deserves some love in the show. **

**All the dialogue belongs to the amazing creators, writers and producers of the show! I just slotted in Jane Grey, so some of the dialogue might be a little different.**

**Enjoy!**

Judgement day happened quickly. I suddenly found myself put into a van and headed to Litchfield prison. My lawyer had tried to go with the angle of me just getting into the wrong crowd because of my alcoholic mother and dead beat father, but here I am being sent to prison for 3 years after selling drugs and getting caught in the middle of a drug bust.

Holding the pillow close to my chest, I sat waiting fo other new inmates to arrive on the van. The guard who led me to the sliding door and said over his radio their was four of us headed to prison today. I looked around the vehicle to see another person sat in front me, along with the driver, who looked to be a prisoner too.

"Hey, you a first timer too?" The petite figure in the drivers seat spoke up. Her Brooklyn accent strong. She lifted the sunglasses up from where they covered her eyes. Her lips covered in a bright red and she sported a bob haircut. A classic 1950's vibe. "Well if you don't mind people taking all the hot water, it's just like staying in 1 star hotel. Maybe 2 at a push" She gave a half hearted smile our way. "I'm Morello by the way and that's Watson. What's your last name? We tend to use them here instead of your first,"

"Oh okay, I'm Grey" My British accent softly coming out my mouth. I cleared my throat a little. The words felt like they were choking me slight.

"You're British. Oh my. Christoper and i are looking at headed over to London for our honeymoon, it we have enough money after the big wedding we are planning of course" All i could do was nod my head as she went back to flipping the pages of her magazine.

I looked at Watson, she didn't look dangerous. Actually she looked as terrified as i felt. Which was a little comfort i suppose. A blonde haired woman made her way to us being held by the guard who took me to the vehicle too. Is that all he does I wondered. Just walk up and down this drive passing us over to the prison. What a boring job.

The blonde slid across the seat to sit next to Watson. She started fiddling with her zipper on the jacket she was handed inside. "My zipper's broken,". Morello looked her up and down in the rear view mirror before putting her sunglasses on the top of her head.

"First time down?" I sat up a little straighter, wanting to know the answer to the question too.

"My first time here?" The blonde replied, still trying to get the zip to work. She then lifted her head to continue the conversation with eye contact.

"No. Your first time in prison" Morello tutted back, going back to the magazines as if she was bored of the conversation already.

"Oh, yeah" the new inmate nodded her head sheepishly and blushed a little.

"It's not so bad. Everyone's okay. You gotta watch out for the stealing" And with that statement leaving Morello's mouth I drew the pillow up to my chest tighter and looked out the window to make it look like I hadn't been listening into the conversation as the petite driver turned around. Watson did a similar thing shuffling away from the woman next to her, whilst holding onto her belongings. "So, what's your name? Your last name? Everyone uses last names here. I'm Morello, that is Watson and Grey" She pointed to us as she said the names, before turning back to the magazine in her hand.

"Chapman"

"And how much time you got, Chapman?"

"Fifteen months"

"Oh, that's not so bad. I got 34, but I'm hoping with good time it'll be less"

I then zoned out the rest of the conversation. I just wanted to arrive there now so I could start my sentence. Just then a Latina woman arrived on the bus, she sat down next to me and gave her name as Diaz.

We arrived at the prison. Chapman got out first, with Watson following her, then myself and Diaz following. Walking down a small yard, I heard a woman wolf whistle at us and I had to hold back the urge to stick up a middle finger. It was almost like an automatic reflex, my experiences with wolf whistles aren't pleasant, usually men trying to get in your pants. Disgusting. But now I'm in a women's prison and I didn't need enemies on the first day.

Reaching a large fire safety door, all of us took a step back when it opened to reveal a small older lady. Her hair was short and grey and she looked to be heading into her mid sixties.

"Hello Miss Claudette" Morello took a step back to make space for the older woman to walk past us. I was still looking around at the variation of women the prison held. Everything was starting to feel a little overwhelming.

"Morello" Miss Claudette responded with a little smirk on her face, looking the newbies up and down. I took a deep breath and maintained eye contact with her.

As soon as she walked past us, the petite Italian lady with the big sunglasses perched on her nose turned to us "Watch out for that one - don't' get me wrong she's a good lady... but you don't want to get on her bad side." She motioned Chapman to start heading into the building "Go ahead. Go" Once we were all in doors she secured the heavy door shut and started her tour. Taking charge of front of the line again she began speaking. "Okay. I'm going to send you all through to processing, you'll get your room assignments and I'll meet you back here and you your beds. Okay? Don't look so bummed. Gonna get those wrinkles" She pouted at us, turned on her heel and showed us to the room processing would be taking place.

Processing didn't take long, we had our photos took for the ID cards we have on us at all times. A little laminated red card that clips onto our clothes. The picture quality wasn't the best, but I didn't really give a monkey's bum, the room smelt like rotting cheese and I just wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible. Medicine was the worst, I've never been a huge fan of needles. Quite ironic really, a drug addict not liking needles. God must've had a sense human when he made me.

I had to show the on site nurse my tattoos, I have a pair of eyes on the back of my neck an act of rebellion against society or so i thought at the time. The drug dealer i worked for gave me the nickname 'paranoid' because of it. Now I really hate them. The nurse looked at me weirdly when i showed him, I glared back looking him up and down.

I headed to Mr Healy's office. I had a short conversation about how the prison works and how if i needed to talk to him at any point then I could always go to him. According to him, I also don't have to participate in lesbian sex. I tried to hide my smirk whilst I nodded. So being a lesbian in this place is frowned upon - good to know.

Finally the processing ended and we were being shown our assigned rooms until the beige uniforms were handed out and we were assigned a cubes. We all met Morello and started quickly walking towards a random door frame.

"Alright, we gotta hustle because the count's soon. Rooms up there, dorms are down there" she was waving her pen around, i thought she was aiming for my eyes with that thing. "Now you are not allowed down there until you get assigned down there..."

A hispanic lady came up to us in an beige jumpsuit and slapped Diaz, the hard slapping sound echoed throughout the hallway.

Diaz managed to spit out a "what the fuck?"

Morello raised an eyebrow at the new inmate standing next to me "Friend of yours?"

"No. It's my mom" I turned around and watched the older Diaz woman walk away and nodded. Okay keeping in it in the family. I made a note to myself not to mess with them.

We entered a fairly big room filled 3 bunks and a single bed."All right, Chapman, Diaz and Grey, this is you. DeMarco, This is Chapman and Grey, can you show them around" DeMarco nodded "Okay, Mendoza, this is Diaz. She'll help you" Morello motioned us all into the room. "Here's some tissues, you'll have to share the packet. First night is always hard. And a toothbrush" She passed the packet of tissues over to Chapman and gave us both toothbrushes.

"Thank you" I spoke up. Using my voice for the first time since introducing myself to her in the van.

"Aw. It's no problem. We look out for our own" Morello shrugged it off and took Watson off to her assigned room.

DeMarco leant on her side whilst blonde took the top bunk and my small frame took the single bed underneath the window. "Tell me your name again?"

"Piper. Chapman." DeMarco nodded and looked at me expectantly.

"Jane. Jane Grey. My mother liked history and named me after the nine day british queen" I shrugged whilst sitting down on metal frame of the bed. It's hard frame hitting my bottom, I leant my back against the wall. DeMarco raised her eyebrows at me, clearly not expecting the British accent to come out.

"That's Miss Rosa" The older woman pointed to a bald lady lying in the bed underneath Piper's top bunk and then pointed to the bed over her own "That's Nichols, just got out of SHU a week ago"

I looked up and saw a red headed, curly haired woman in her late 20's, early 30s leaning back against the headboard reading a magazine with headphones in. "Told a CO to kiss her ass". I chuckled a little at this, I liked her already.

"Here's some toilet paper, got to take it with you" I wrinkled my nose up as Piper caught the toilet roll that held a full tube of paper. That wouldn't last long between 5 people. "When I first got here, i had aa massive heart attack so i now need that thing to breathe" She pointed the machine by her bed.

Blonde then turned to undo her bag to start making the bed "Don't make the bed!" Jeez, this woman had a loud voice, I thought as I put my palm on my chest feeling my heart rate pick up. I saw Nichols smirk down at me as she caught sight of the action "We'll. Make. The. Bed. We know how. Also you sleep on top of the bed with the blanket over you,"

Just as Chapman was about respond a CO's voice could be heard down the corridor "Count time! Count time!"

DeMarco looked at me "That light comes on, you need to stand where you're supposed to be and you don't move until it goes off. Dinner's after." My stomach rumbled as I slowly got up from my seated position. Nichols used my headboard to get down from the top bunk to my right, she winked at me as her feet touched the floor.

A CO came in clicked us all. Piper fidgeted a little and DeMarco put her finger to her lips and signalled her to wait as a larger man came in and did the same thing the previous man did but quicker. I rocked on the balls of my feet as he turned his back and quickly charged out of the room onto the next one.

"Dinner is at 4.30?" My stomach rumbled again at the thought of food.

"Recount ladies!" I guess I won't be getting any food soon then. I heard the redhead next to me a frustrated groan as she stopped climbing up to the top bunk.

"How hard is it to fucking count?" Her New York accent was strong.

DeMarco took it upon herself to introduce the newbies to her. "Nicky this is..."

"Piper. Chapman" Nicky nodded her head and looked me up and down

"Jane Grey" She looked me in the eyes and winked again.

"Cute accent. Look at you, blondie, what'd you do?" She turned back to Piper and titled her to the side.

"Aren't you not supposed to ask that question? I read that you're not supposed to ask that." I snickered a little and looked up at the ceiling.

"You read that? What you studied for prison? Hey kid," she turned to me again "Did you study too?" The larger CO of the two came into the room and clicked us all again.

"What did you do?" Piper asked.

"I thought you weren't supposed to ask that?" The redhead snickered.

Dinner is served. Finally. The line is long, so I guess everyone is restless for food too. I saw Piper head towards Yoga Jones and sit at her table. Maybe I'll sit with them too. Everywhere else looks a little full and all I want to do is eat the prison slop.

I headed over to the table once I got my tray filled, I overheard Yoga Jones tell Piper not to eat the pudding and introduce a nun. Nicky walked by me and motioned with her head to sit across from her. "Piper, you can't be taking advice from a nun and a hippie"

"By all means, seek out the supreme wisdom of the junkie philosopher. What's your name?" She realised I'd join the table just as i was putting a tomato slice into my mouth.

"Grey. It's nice to meet you" She smiled back.

I entered back into the conversation with Nicky saying she lusted after Jones "you gotta love a yoga body" She laughed to herself.

"You should come to class. Watch me chaturanga" Jones seemed amused. The redhead quickly denied the request not liking the smell of the room.

"You like pussy Piper? Or you prefer pipe as your name suggests?" The blonde woman looked startled at the question but before she could answer Nicky turned to me "What about you Miss Jane Grey?"

"I don't have to answer that"

"Oh really? Well that answer just told me everything I wanted to know" She smirked looking me up down.

"Oh, leave her alone" the nun next me spoke up. But Nicky just sniffed her fingers. Her eyes seemed to light up as another woman approached the table. She seemed to have made her way from the kitchen, with velvet red dyed hair and glasses around her neck. Her hands were stuffed into her hoodie pocket. She put a yoghurt on the table and slid across to the curly haired redhead.

"Thank you mommy" Nicky smiled sweetly at her as she opened the creamy pot of delight. I learnt her name was Red as she passed the yoghurts around the table. Meanwhile I was trying to figure out if they was really related. Piper seemed to be wondering the same thing and Nicky responded with "Maternal figurehead" I nodded my head a little and tucked into my yoghurt.

I smiled up at the woman sat on the table with her legs leaning to the side "thank you so much". She smiled and patted my shoulder. A rather butch looking woman with arms covered in tattoos came to the table asking for a yoghurt but Red just shook her head and watched the woman walk away.

"How hard is it to get me a wooden board from the workshop? Urgh people" Her Russian accent thick. But i already found her voice soothing. "Who's this?" She nodded to myself and Piper.

"Lady Jane Grey over there got herself caught up with drug dealers and this is Chapman. They're new"

Piper looked at the yoghurt as if it was poison. "What do i have to do for it?"

"You're new. You're one of us. Consider it a gift" Relief passed over Chapmans face as she heard Red's words.

"Thank you. Thank you so much". Red nodded at her words, taking a drink from her plastic mug "The food here is disgusting" My head looked up from my nearly empty pot and made eye contact with Nicky who looked like she wanted to be anywhere but there. I almost slid down the stool and under the table.

Red went silent and took a mouthful of drink before staring down at me almost daring me to agree with Piper, I just shook my head and continued to eat my yoghurt.

"Did i mention that Red runs the kitchen?" Nicky turned to the blonde next to her. Piper realised the trouble she just got herself into.

"Shit" she muttered under her breath. "I'm sorry"

Red got up and made her way across the aisle so she was facing Piper "Honey. I know you just got here, so you don't know what's what. Well, I'm going to tell you. You don't like the food? It's no problem" she pouted a little at her and shrugged her shoulders before walking away.

I turned to watch her make her way back into the kitchen before Nicky piped up, wide eyed "Holy Shit. That was an epic fuck up" and tucked into her yoghurt.

I had successfully survived my first night in prison and my first shower. A quick in and out, nobody got too angry at me. The water was already cold by the time I got there. I decided to sit with Nichols, Morello and DeMarco. We were all laughing when Chapman came up to the table with an empty tray apart from something wrapped in tinfoil.

"Before my teeth got knocked out, I had this awesome gap. Now they look like chiclets, look!" Nicky showed us her teeth. I couldn't stop laughing along with Morello.

"You're crazy! Your fake teeth are beautiful" Morello chuckled.

"Yeah I bet you never get things stuck in it, so you have nice fresh breath all the time. A summer breeze coming over here" I managed to get out once I stopped laughing. Before starting to giggle all over again.

"You like that?" Nicky smiled at us

"Always smell? Yeah yeah" we both nodded our head.

Chapman pulled out the object in the tinfoil to reveal a used tampon in between two pieces of bread. I noticed first "Oh god! Chapman, put that away I don't want to see that?" Nicky looked at me concerned before looking down.

"Oh what did you do?" Morello laughed looking at the tampon.

"She insulted the food in front of Red" Nicky replied

"I don't think you'll be eating for a while" We all giggled whilst i fake gagged sticking two fingers down my throat. "You gotta figure out how to make things right with Red"

Piper looked like she was starting freak out and quickly got up to put her tray on a rack. Shaking my head at her I quickly stuffed the rest of the food in my mouth.

"Orientation starts soon right?" I looked at the big clock on the wall of the food hall. I sighed and picked up my tray "I guess I'll see you ladies later"


	2. Chapter 2

I headed towards the common room swallowing the rest of my breakfast. Reaching the end of the long hallway, I entered a large room with a dull pink heavy door. I pulled it open to reveal 3 seats left. One of them being next to Watson, thank Jesus. H. Christ there was someone here i recognised. We waited what felt like forever before a CO wheeled a television and VR set into the room, he set it up ready to play. Piper quickly walked in looking for a seat.

"Sorry I'm late" she mumbled. The guard shrugged and told her to sit down. Despite being told not to sit on the seat she picked because it broke she flopped down on it. CO Thompson pressed play on the remote and a fuzzy pictured woman came on the screen. Watson couldn't help but snicker at what we were being told and i must admit i was holding in a giggle, it sounds more like boarding school than a prison. Utterly ridiculous.

Just when i thought it couldn't get much worse we were told we would have 'special guests' coming in to introduce themselves. First we had the guy who took our ID photos yesterday. He sported a moustache and came into the room holding a copper pipe. He stopped in front of us, holding it up.

"This is a piece of copper pipe. It was taken from the laundry room." He smacks it against the palm of his other hand "It's hard. This was used to break two ribs, could also be used to crack your skull, break your knee, muss up your make up. Amongst other things" he stated to rub the pipe up an down. I raised my eyebrows at him.

Next was the health professional to give us a talk on mental health in prison.

"Suicidal thoughts will come. Frequently" I think I'm beginning to have some right now, I wanted say, but bit my tongue as he continued "Some days, it'll feel like there are no other thoughts. 'Dot it,' they'll say 'End it'". I just slid further into my seat wishing for the session to end.

Next was Mr Caputo, he seemed to have more of a sane mind. Telling us what will happen during orientation period. I have to ask though, what is it with the moustaches around here? Maybe that's a question for Lorna or Nicky.

"You'll be assigned bunks soon. Uniforms will be issued next week. State your correct size on the form. No Baggy hip - hop pants. Yes I'm looking at you" He pointed to Watson, who just folded her arms and rolled her eyes. Wow racist much?

The last 'special guest' had to be my favourite. She ended up being the quickest person to greet us and say goodbye to us.

"Hello Ladies, I am Natalie Figueroa" Her voice was husky and she had all eyes on her as soon as she entered the room, even Piper tried to sit correctly on the broken chair. "I am the executive assistant to the warden. I try to visit often. If you have an concerns, specifically regarding your needs as women, please come to me. I will handle them personally"

I heard the woman in front of me, with long black hair mutter "yeah she will". My thoughts exactly as i watched her walk away.

After sitting in a stuffy room all morning, i was more than happy to go to lunch. Piper was a couple of people before me, when one of Red's serving ladies (Gina Murphy) took one look at the blonde and went on to the next person, handing them trays of food. When i got my own I muttered a quick "Thank you" and shuffled away. I found a seat with Jones and DeMarco, Lorna turned up with Piper after she tried to sit with an inmate called 'Crazy Eyes'. I looked over and she waved at me, i quickly turned away. She seems to have child-like behaviour.

"You know what? I'm just going to apologise" Piper said as she looked at the food on our trays longingly. "People make mistake. People say stupid things all the time" We all agreed whilst eating the food she wanted in her own stomach. "She's gotta understand that right?" We all looked at each other again and nodded.

That night we were all in bed, most of the room was asleep. Apart from Miss Rosa, Nicky, Piper and myself. Miss Rosa was filing her nails, Nicky was singing and eating pretzels, sneaking one down to me every now and then. And Piper, I think was having suicidal thoughts.

"You okay Chapman?" I heard Nicky's voice.

"Yeah"

"You know, I'd give you a pretzel but the walls have eyes and I'm not retarded."

Miss Rosa stopped filing her nails for a second before adding her thoughts "When I first got here, I had troubles like you. There was a disagreement. Then we brawled. That's how you settle things. If I'd have won, I'd have been la jefa. Thank God I've got cancer, Nobody fucks with cancer."

Nicky passed me another pretzel, i nibbled on it quietly. "Good talk" I said after swallowing the salty treat. Miss Rosa turned her torch off and Nicky shuffled down the bed. As i was nodding off i hear Piper's stomach make a noise. I sighed and turned over so my face was towards the wall and shut my eyes.

The next morning i found myself invited to the kitchen with Nicky and her prison family. They were all mourning a freezer called Betty who apparently finally gave up during the night.

"She was a good girl" Red said mournfully

Luschek the prison electrician and CO, was double checking the old thing was dead. Gina muttered "No one heard her go"

"Get over it, it's a freezer" I frowned at his words.

"Just because it's freezer doesn't mean we can't be sad to see it go. I bet you cry over your laptop breaking, how else are you supposed watch porn" i heard Nicky snicker.

"That is a shot inmate" Luschek said from the position he was in hanging from the freezer with an ice lolly hanging from his mouth. I just shrugged. "See, what happened was a breach in the main coolant. Big, nasty breach."

"What's the smell?" Tricia, a blonde woman with tattoos going down her neck asked.

"That's the Freon. Some people use it for huffing" I raised my eyebrows at him. "Makes for super intense, but short-lived high. Similar to crack but without the migraines" I just looked at him and crossed my arms. I saw Tricia and Nicky exchange a smirk. Clearly they've tried that trick before, i mean haven't we all. This wasn't exactly new information.

"Put those in Ice water. Don't stack those, Gina" Red was barking out orders behind us. I moved towards the frosted windows to give them a little more space. Miss Claudette then removed a frozen cat from Betty.

"Nice Pussy" I couldn't help it. The joke was right there. Nicky laughed and gave me a high five.

Red tutted "Don't ask" Miss Claudette just shook her head. "Thanksgiving is coming twice this year, ladies. Spread the word!" Suddenly Piper comes storming in the kitchen, looking around for Red.

"Okay, I understand what you have to do. I'm not a fighter. Go ahead."

"I'm a little busy here. Pick up those rags." Red replied shortly as she was moving things from the freezer to the sink across the room.

"I'm not going to swing first"

"Good"

"Just hit me and get it over with" Piper was now pleading with her, I genuinely think she might end up on her knees begging Red to punch her in the face.

"I said I was a little busy" Red's patience was running out and her Russian accent was getting stronger.

"I'm not leaving until you do"

"Three. Two. One" we heard Red mutter on under her breath leaning against the sink before she turned around to face the blonde. "You want me to hit you? Okay, get ready. You called my food disgusting. You're not getting hazed, you're not getting harassed, you're getting starved. To death" Red pushed Piper into the storeroom door. It's dirty, metal surface hit her back with a muffled _thump_ sound. "You'll leave Litchfield as a skeleton in a body bag. Pow! Now, march your yuppie ass outta my kitchen"

Piper took a gasping gulp as she turned on her heel and almost speed walked out of the kitchen. "Slowly, so you don't burn too many calories!" Red called out to her.

Every Tuesday and Friday the commissary shop opened in the afternoon making it so prisoners were able to buy items they needed either from the money relatives sent in or from earning it whilst doing their jobs in the prison. I had somehow been dragged by Nicky to go with her and Piper to the little window in the corridor.

Whilst waiting in line, Nicky and I decided to play thumb wars. I don't know why but we just clicked these past couple of days since I've ended up sharing a room with her. She's been a great comfort me.

"Yo, y'all got headphones for movie night?" Poussey asked. Obviously not receiving the answer she wanted, I heard her slam down the pen. I looked away from the current thumb war making Nicky win with a smirk on her face. "That's some bullshit. I ain't tryin' to watch no silent movie"

"Sold out. Next" We heard Chang call out.

Nicky threw her arm around me as we moved up the queue. "Spanish ladies are calling you La Llorona, the wailing lady" she told Piper.

"Well you would've screamed just as loud if someone handed them a used tampon sandwich" Piper bit back.

"Oh yeah. Or if they saw an ex-girlfriend in prison" I chimed in. Nicky smiled at me.

"Hey, what's her name? Alex?" Piper turned to face Nicky, startled.

"What did she say to you?"

"Not a word. I just know dyke drama when I see it" Nicky tried to calm down.

"You gonna buy something or not?" Chang's voice stopped Piper from retorting.

"Yes. Hi, I should have some credit here. My fiancé sent a check on Wednesday"

"Take seven day to process" Chang replied to her.

Nicky unwrapped her arm from around my shoulders "You can use mine. It's not like you're going anywhere"

"Well aren't you a sweetheart?" I whispered to Nicky who flicked my ear.

"For Food?" Piper questioned.

"Fuck no" The redhead made her way to Chang and rolled her eyes our way. "Yo, Chang. Uh cocoa butter..." I looked at Piper as she whispering demands to Nicky from the wall next to barred window. What did she need rubber gloves for? I'm glad Nicky went for the butter, she doesn't sound like she needs to be locked in psych. "Okay. All right, you got a strainer?" Chang looked behind her to CO O'Neil for confirmation. She got handed a cup instead.

"This is a cup. Knock yourself out" Chang explained to Nicky. I snickered from where I stood, next to Piper.

After the evening meal, courtesy of dead Betty, so much corn and chicken was available. We were shifted back into the bunks ready to be counted again. Muttering could be heard from the hallways as we entered the room. Piper rushed in just as CO O'Neil made an appearance clicking as he looked around the room.

"All good. Thanks, ladies" he said as he exited our room and entered the one next door. CO Bennet then came in after him and clicked us all again. Nicky climbed up to the top bunk, Daya Diaz, pulled back her blanket to reveal some gum she must've hidden away earlier. Piper grabbed her cup and poured it into a little empty bottle ready to hand to Red.

Piper seemed to be in a happier mood as we walked down to the movie night held in the common room. Apparently the prison held one once a month showing various films the rented from the store or whatever the CO's brought in. I managed to get a seat on Nicky's right whilst Lorna sat on her left. It was a comedy tonight it seemed, the inmates were roaring with laughter. However, unlucky me didn't get any headphones from the commissary. Nicky noticed the bored, sulking look on my face and decided to share one of her ear phones with me.

As I was laughing at a joke, I saw Piper's head lean toward the person sat next to her, who shuffled away when they saw the blonde woman trying to listen in. Crazy eyes made her way over to the empty aisle seat next to her and put an ear bud in Piper's ear. I then watched as Crazy Eyes' hand moved up Piper's leg. Her mouth dropped open and she turned to look at me with her eyes wide. All I could do was laugh and give her the thumbs up. The next few weeks are going to be interesting for sure.


	3. Chapter 3

One thing I've learnt about prison is it's the waking up that's the hardest. For a short few seconds between dreams and reality you can kid yourself where you are. I like to pretend I'm visiting my grandparents farmhouse in the english countryside. Where you can hear the chickens outside the cottage and the sun is streaming through the gap in the curtains. And then I open my eyes and have to face the reality I'm in Litchfield prison. My mood sinks.

As I get up early I manage to get dressed slowly, take my time and moving my tired muscles. I know I need my daily dose of antidepressants to help balance the chemicals in my brain. I know once I have them, no more headaches and it'll be easier to face the day instead of wanting to curl up under the covers and not want to move.

When everyone wakes up, I'm already sat with my reading glasses on taking in the wonderful Stephen King novel _IT_.

"Morning kid, since when did you wear glasses?" I heard Nicky's voice ask from above my head. I looked up to see her wiping the sleep from her eyes.

"Oh since I was 11, I only wear them for reading though" She nodded her head and looked around the room to see the other inmates waking up too. She starts to get change and I quickly duck my head back into my book.

By the time Piper gets changed, it's nearly time for breakfast and everyone is doing their own thing in the room. Existing in each others space. She turns her head to see pornstache looking into the room, watching as she puts her bra on.

Nicky starts to making a snorting sound, trying to clear her throat hilts putting her black boat on. DeMarco and I exchange glances and roll our eyes.

"Nichols, you sound like a broken hover. Shut the fuck up" I shouted up to her. She just continued to make the noise louder. She looks over to Miss Rosa's bunk who was plucking hairs from her chest.

"Ew. You sick fuck, do that in the bathroom" Nicky complained

"She's got cancer" I defended the older woman.

"Is he allowed to watch us like that?" Piper asked once she finished getting dressed.

"Pornstache?" Nicky jumped down from the top bunk on to the concrete floor before continuing "He does whatever he wants" I flipped over a page to try to start the next chapter "One of these days, you're going to have to change your panties, Chapman. That shit's gotta be getting ripe"

She then made her way over to the mirror "Look at this" pointing to her roots turning around to face us "I asked Sophia to do my roots and she says there's a two week waiting list"

I folded the page I was on and gave Nicky a bored look. DeMarco removed her mask and chuckled to the red head.

"I wouldn't let that he-she touch my hair with a 10 foot pole" the older woman commented.

Nicky frowned at her. "Well, hey, maybe you'll get lucky and go bald everywhere but in the tits like Rosa. And Sophia's pole in now a hole." DeMarco made the okay sign with her thumb and finger as she pulled her mask back on her face to help her breathing.

A man over the speakers suddenly announced names that would be getting assigned bunks in the cube. My name being on the list. Finally I was getting out of here and into the beige uniforms with a little bit more space.

"Wait, you got assigned?" Piper looked at me.

"Yeah, yesterday morning whilst you was in the shower. I'm bunking with Jones. You know? The Yoga instructor"

"You know, I did my time in SHU. How much longer are they gonna keep me in here with Darth Vader and Mr Clean?" Nicky asked. She walked across the room and flopped on to my bed in the space next to me picking up the heavy book thumbing the pages.

"Fuck you" DeMarco's croaky voice said.

"Why didn't I get assigned?" The blonde asked pulling the orange top over her head.

"They're probably sending her to Spanish Harlem" Nicky pointed to Daya. "They're gonna put you in The Suburbs with the other white people" she pointed to herself and me.

"So how do they choose your roommate?" I shrugged. That was my answer to Piper's question. If you asked me I just got lucky.

"Why?" Nicky asked back. "You afraid you're gonna end up with your rocka-lezzie girlfriend?" I took my book back from the woman sitting next to me and slapped her on the arm with it. This cause her to look at me and rub her arm. She laughed.

I made my way to the cube that hosted beds for myself and Jones. I was now in the beige uniform feeling almost like i was now part of the family instead of being an outsider.

"Hi Jane" I looked down to the floor to see Jones in a position. "How you feeling?"

"Not too bad, thanks for asking" I looked around the space to see Jones had made some room for me, two hooks were empty and I had a whole cabinet to myself. I put my book on top of it. I can make this work I thought.

Needing medication here is awful. The queue is massive, all I need is my serotonin tablet and then I can go on my merry way. I've been waiting for over half an hour now, watching the clock tick slowly as it hangs on the wall.

"Burset" Called the nurse

"What are those? They aren't my pills" Sophia said as she stepped forward.

"They are now. Whole prison is going generic"

"What's the dose?"

"Point five milligrams" he answered her question.

"Then that ain't enough. I need four of those" Sophia said pushing the little paper cup back to him.

"I do what the chart says" he argued back. "Talk to your counsellor"

Sophia turned on her heel and walked away. The nurse sighed and shouted "Grey" I stepped up, reached out for the paper cup "Need to be taken with food, no check" I sighed with relief. It was the correct dose, now I can go and have some breakfast.

Later in the day, I was collecting the last of my belongings in the shared room. Piper walked into the room carrying a big box of items.

"Ah it's just like old times" I joked as I watched her shuffle in.

"I got commissary" she ignored my comment putting down the box on to her bed.

"Look whose ship finally came in" Nicky smirked looking at the blonde. Piper began handing out objects to people who helped her throughout the first few weeks here.

"Nicky, I have your cup" She just laughed and passed it to me "And Nivea. It interest" Piper shrugged.

"Well, goodbye bitches, I'll see you around" I gave DeMarco and Rosa a hug before I left. Piper even gave me a bookmark. I nodded a thanks to her as I passed and made my way to the cubes carrying the last of my belongings.

Apparently the night before Crazy Eyes' had pissed on the floor in front of Miss Claudette and Piper's bed arrangements because Piper had rejected her. The gossip had spread around the prison, I made sure to keep my distance from Piper, not wanting to smell the horrible stench.

Job assignments happened rather quickly, I ended up in the Kitchen under the orders of Red who had me chopping and dicing vegetables for todays' meals. I knew I was being slow but I wasn't very good at chopping and my ex drug dealer girlfriend once came at me with a knife when I stole her stash to sell for myself. So holding a knife in my hand brought back a couple of bad memories.

"Faster, Jane. You gotta be quick in this kitchen" Red said bringing more vegetables to my station "If we all went at your pace, we'd get nothing done" Red clapped her hands at me to go quicker.

Once the shift was over we ended up in the common room helping decorate the place for Mercy's leaving Litchfield party. Myself, Jones and Sister Ingles was rifling through a cardboard box full of odd bits of things seeing what we could use. Mercy also put some of her belongings on the window for inmates to claim.

"Mercy, can I have these?" Jones asked across the room

"Yeah, take 'em, Woodstock."

"What about this?" I asked, holding up a large T-shirt. Mercy gave me a questioning glance "I could use it as bed clothes" I shrugged.

"Fine. Whatever" Mercy said, not really caring what happens to it.

"Whatever?" Boo got up from her seat "I gave you that shirt"

Oh crap. I looked down at the top as Mercy made her way over, if I'd have known they were going to fight over it, I would have asked for it hours ago. Lovers quarrels are alway entertaining to watch. Especially when it is between exes.

"Can I have that?" The slim brunette held out her hand, and sniffs the shirt "You might wanna wash it. Still got some stank on it" Mercy handed it back to me.

I bit my lip and made my way over to Red, trying not to laugh. "Mercy should know better than to fuck with Boo this close to her release date" Red tutted and mumbled to herself about what happened to someone name Shelly.

Later in the afternoon, it was revealed that someone had stolen a screw driver from the workshop area, we all had to stand outside our cube and wait until a 'thorough search' had been completed. I said goodbye to Jones and made my way to the kitchen to serve the dinner.

Mercy was leaving in the morning, so the inmates who knew her the best, decided to thought the part in the evening, before final checks and lights out. Toilet paper was thrown all around the room and tied to things looking more like a prank gone wrong than a leaving party.

"Place looks like crap" Boo said raising her eyebrows watching Alex and I tie the toilet paper to parts of the cage separating the cafeteria and the common room.

"We're lucky they're letting us get it at all, after the raid" Tricia replies "Would you get that more over to the left" She commanded Alex who stood on the ladders. Alex got uninvited to the party after making some comments on the presentation of the place. Tricia looked at me expectantly.

"Nope, no way. Have you seen my size? There's no way in hell i'm going to be able to reach up there" I gestured to my small frame. "It's not happening" I passed her the rest of the toilet roll and walked out the room. Heading to the library.

Alex and I ended up lying head to toe reading different books. Enjoying the silence the other person gave. Nicky came up to us and stood by Alex's head. I shut IT and sat up to make some room for her.

"You're having a little Barnes and Noble moment?" She looks at both of us and made her way to sit next me.

"Urgh, my bunkie is hosting Bible study. Which usually I can tune out but once they started arguing over who gets raptured first, I had to go"

"Yeah I'm so getting raptured first. I technically died on three separate occasions and I've met God. Dude fucking loves me." Nicky said casually.

"I won't be far behind you then, I've been hit by a car and nearly stabbed to death both meant staying in hospital for a number of days, weeks to recover after I died on the operating table" I said to them. Alex chuckled.

"I had this roommate, she was a history major. She claimed that she died doing a bunch of whip-its and that an angel of darkness gave her all the answers to her Renaissance final and sent her back"

"Huh, how'd she do?" I asked, leaning over Nicky to look at Alex.

"I think she got a B" I was impressed. I wish God gave me answers to my problems when I died and came back to the land of the living.

"Is that how you know Chapman, through college?" The curly haired woman asked.

Alex raised her eyebrows. "Kind of"

"Look. I've been here almost three years. I thought I saw all the permutations of runcher theatre, but you two are in a whole new play" Alex scoffed "What the fuck went on with you outside?"

"I don't know. Things. And stuff" Alex shrugged and faced the shelf of books across from us.

"Fine. I'll let my imagination keep running wild"

"Wait, three years? How much time have you got left?" I asked Nicky. She looked at me sadly fiddling with hands.

"Two more" shit, that's a long time.

"I don't even know when I get out of here I've lost track already" said Alex "All I know is I've got a fuckload of time with these crazy, stupid fucking bitches"

"Should we plan to escape?" Nicky asked grabbing both of our hands "Where do you wanna go?"

"I used to know. But now I can't get past the swirling darkness in my brain long enough to land on anything" Alex breaks down a little and Nicky just watches her with a sad smile on her face squeezing my hand before letting us both go.

"I was just starting to like you, Vause. You going to go soft on me?" Alex sniffed and Nicky brought Alex's head on her shoulder "It'll be alright sister. There's always hope tomorrow'll be. Taco night"

"Tomorrow is beef and noodles night" Taystee piped up from the row behind us. The three of us looked at each other and burst into a fit of giggles.


	4. Chapter 4

It was now mid October and I'd been in Litchfield for well over a month. Another Sunday came round surprisingly quick and I said I would meet Piper by the tree on the track field so we could read together. I always loved reading outdoors in the fresh air.

I carried my book, today I was reading _Anne of Green Gables, _a favourite book from my childhood. I tucked it underneath my arm as i carried my hot coffee towards where Piper was sitting. She had unwrapped her breakfast bar and was already nibbling on it when I got to her. Panting, I sighed as i sat down.

"Jeez, Pipes. That walk is a little bit too long for my liking" I said trying to catch my breath.

"Which is why you need to exercise more Jane" she shrugged her shoulders as she finished her last mouthful and went to reach for her plastic coffee mug.

The frost covered the ground around us, I took my jacket off and put it under my bum so it didn't get wet. I leant against the tree, put my reading glasses on and started to get lost in the imaginary world of green gables. We must have been sat there for a while when we heard clucking next to us. Piper and I turned our heads in disbelief.

"What the fuck?" I muttered. There's a chicken, a real chicken with feathers pecking the grass next to us. "You're seeing this too right? I'm not going crazy am I?"

"Nope, I see it too" Piper said blinking twice.

Piper and I headed inside, shred ourselves of the wrapped up layers we put on to keep warm whilst we were outside and made our way to the TV room. I made a beeline to sit with Norma, Gina and Lorna. Piper hesitated at the door when she saw Alex sat near the television but I dragged her to sit down in the chair next to me. Gina was knitting something and before I could open my mouth to ask her what it was, she slid her chair outwards and stormed across the room to a free table by herself.

"What? Do I smell?" I asked the others at the table

"No, she's just in the zone" Lorna comforted. "How's your Sunday?" She asked us both.

"Pretty nice so far. We were outside. It is so beautiful up here in the fall" Piper responded

"Oh, yeah, sure. I got myself incarcerated just so I could see the changing colours" Lorna said sarcastically looking at Piper.

"I'm serious. I think I need to be outside more. It was a little cold but lovely. I had my tea, it was almost hot. I had my book, it was almost good. And we, Jane and I, saw a chicken" Lorna face grew serious and her eyes went wide but Piper just continued "How random is that?" Norma and Lorna looked at each other. "What?"

"You saw a chicken? Like, a real life chicken in the flesh?" Lorna furrowed her brows and leant closer to us.

"Well, it was covered in feathers" I said. Lorna sighed "What's going on?"

"You need to talk to Red" Lorna said to us.

We found ourselves standing in the kitchen. Explaining the chicken situation to Red.

"You're sure it was a chicken?" Red asked for the third time. "Not a pigeon? What about a quail or..a pheasant?" Piper and I shook our heads.

"It was a chicken. I know what a chicken looks like" Piper stuttered out. "I don't...What's the big deal?" She asked turning to look at the small Italian lady behind her.

Red took her glasses off as Gina answered "There are no chickens around here. Except for one"

Lorna, who was stood behind me, rested a hand on my shoulder "They say she lived on a farm near here. Till one night, the night before all the other chickens were slaughtered, she escaped. She's been out there ever since. Living off the land. Living on her wits"

"Hey, what's going on?" Nicky entered the kitchen and stood next to me.

"The chicken's back" answered Gina with a grin.

"Oh, give me break" Nicky rolled her eyes. "Mom, there is no chicken"

"You're wrong" the russian. "They saw it"

"Oh really?" Nicky raised her eyebrows at Piper and I. "How'd it get over the fence?"

"I don't know" I shrugged "But it was there"

"Chickens don't fly. It was probably a spruce grouse" Nicky retorted.

"No it was her. I saw it in a dream" Red said back to Nicky. Looking to us with a wild look in her eye. Nicky made a quick escape and left the kitchen. "She came to me. Already dressed in herbs, and a little top hat. It was tilted to one side. And she said 'Soon, Red, we will be together. Soon I will be yours.' No more processed chicken that tastes like wet paper. Real chicken Kiev" Red licked her lips "First girl to bag that bird gets a box of Biore strips."

Everyone quickly rushed out the kitchen. I sighed, this is definitely getting out of hand. I wish I had gone with Nicky. I didn't want to run around the yard trying to find some chicken that might not be real.

After work a small group of us decided to do yoga in the common room.

"All right, extend that rear leg" Jones, who's first name I learnt is Erica, told the class. "Challenge yourselves, but don't forget to breathe"

"What do I do with my arms?" DeMarco asked

"Extend the arms" Jones replied getting into the pose. The rest of the class copied her actions. Just as we were relaxing our bodies into a stretch, some more inmates came into the room to hold some sort of a meeting. I recognised them from the AA meetings I attend when I feel myself slipping "Excuse me. What's happening?"

"We got AA" Rosa replied for the whole group.

"No, not right now you don't. We're doing yoga this is our time" Erica objected.

"Well, they sent us here 'cause the chapel is wrecked" Suzanne 'Crazy Eyes' Warren spoke up. "Now, don't worry. You just keep on doing what you're doing"

We all heard what happened in the chapel, apparently Tiffany Doggett got over excited about it being Sunday and decided to try to use her religious freedom to put up a huge cross on the alter, causing the ceiling to falling down.

"Yeah, let's see one of these downward facing doggie styles" Nicky said, sitting on her chair back to front, so she was facing Lorna and winked her. Lorna pulled a disgusted face at her before turning back to the front of the class. Something has clearly happened there, usually they're over friendly with each other. Always touching and what - not. "Hey your ladyship, Miss Grey over there. I didn't know you did Yoga. You coming over here to join the AA meeting?"

"No I'm good over here. Plus I can do both right?" I replied with my back facing her going back into the pose.

"This is unacceptable. Norma, take over for me. I'm getting Caputo" Erica told the class and stormed off to Caputo's office.

Piper ended up getting frustrated at Alex being there and moved to the other side of the room.

"...He's got barbecue all over his face and he's dead" Taystee managed to get the words out. I was facing them sitting of the floor crying from the story. It sound similar to when I hit rock bottom. Why does it always take someone to die or get seriously hurt before you realise what you are doing is wrong? Except I was driving a car with heroine and alcohol in my system, I managed to crash the car and a friend lost a leg because of it. Obviously the police and ambulance came and I was arrested, taken to hospital whilst waiting for trial. That's how I ended up here, and so I've been sober for about 10 months.

"Almost the exact same thing happened to me, but it was tuna salad" Suzanne said. Nobody took any notice. I wiped my eyes and stood up facing Jones and she cooled down the class. I felt peaceful whilst doing the yoga stretches, it felt good to move my body and exercise a little. Piper suddenly came out of the pose and rolled up her yoga mat, telling the instructor she had done for the day.

The next morning I saw Piper running across the yard, I decided to follow her to the tobacco shack on the outskirts of the prison. We both stopped and saw the chicken. It looked so beautiful, but how it got to the other side of the fence - I guess we'll never know.


	5. Chapter 5

I was sat in the TV room with Lorna, watching another rerun of _Toddlers and Tiara's _with some of the other inmates. I think it's the only time we don't argue with each other, funny how magical a television show can be. Suddenly, Taystee slams the door open holding a remote.

"Planet Earth 24/7 bitches!" She shouted as she took the only empty seat left. Everyone looked at her and back to mind numbing television set hanging from the wall.

After half an hour of watching whales mate with each other, I told Lorna I was finding Nicky. Looking for her in all the usual spots, I finally found her leaning against the visitation window, watching through the glass windows.

"Hey. You okay?" I asked approaching her, slowing down my walk.

"You know me, I'm the poster girl for being okay" She answered running a hand through her hair. Watching Piper hug her mother goodbye. I squeezed Nicky's arm in comfort knowing what it was like having a mum who doesn't really give a shit.

"You look like her" she told Piper as the blonde walked into the hallway. Pulling on a jumper.

"That's what I'm told" She gave Nicky an eye roll.

"You don't think so?"

"I prefer to be in denial about the shared genetics" Piper answers

"Don't we all Pipes" I snorted to her. "You are in denial about a lot things though"

It was Piper's turn to snort "I'm a WASP. That's what we do" Nicky and I nodded to her, understanding the statement. "I'm working on it. Are you waiting for somebody?"

"No. Only child and parents aren't around so they've abandoned their twenty four year old daughter in prison. Nice, right? Not that they were around much anyway" I shrugged off Piper's sympathetic smile. She turned to Nicky.

"Nah, Wouldn't want to ruin my four month dry spell" I squeezed Nicky's arm again softly, to let her know I understood.

"Well, after that visitation, that's starting to sound appealing" muttered the blonde haired woman. Nicky frowned at her.

"Look, don't say ungrateful crap like that around here. Your mother shows up, buys you pretzels. Poor you."

"We all have our shit, Nicky." Piper scoffed.

"Yeah. Some shit stinks worse than other shit, princess" Nicky argued back

"You don't know how my shit smells"

"Sure I do" Nicky nodded, and sniffed Piper's jumper "Your shit smells like Shalimar. Must have rubbed off when she hugged you goodbye" I bit my lip to keep quite. This wasn't my fight. Nicky then turned to face the window again. Ignoring us both.

I ended up back in the TV room some time later, sitting with Lorna, Norma and Boo. Lorna was flipping through wedding magazines whilst Boo and Norma where playing cardboard scrabble and I was keeping score. It's Norma's turn and she was struggling with her letters. I took a sneaky glance over her shoulder and mentally cringed.

"Norma, will you go?" Boo wasn't known for her patience. Norma just silently glared at the butch woman. "What are you blind now too?"

"If you put the S on the end of 'Knife', you can make 'Slut' going down. Fifteen points ain't bad" Lorna chirped up, looking at the letters and the words already on the board.

"No cheating" I pointed my finger at Lorna. Putting down the score anyway.

"I'm just helping her" Lorna argued.

"The plural of 'Knife' is 'Knives', genius. No such fucking word as 'knifes'" Boo commented watch Norma put the suggested word down.

"Oh no. Well, then what does Tony do to Bernardo in _West Side Story_? He KNIFES him" Lorna pointed out. I snickered. She had a point.

"Well, aren't you the plot spoiler" Boo sarcastically told the small, red lipped, Italian-American lady "So, here's a good idea. Why don't you mind your own fucking business and go back to planning your cute little hetro wedding? Hey! Are you going to get your dress off of eBay? I sure hope nobody scams you. That'd be fucking ironic"

Suddenly, Lorna stood up ready to lunge at Boo, a wild look in her wide eyes. I had to grab her by the waist to try to stop her. "Don't. You. Dare!" She screamed. Her arms waving around like an octopus. For such a small being, she sure is scrappy. Everyone in the room picked up on the building tension and started to fight amongst themselves, when Mr Healy entered the room.

"Hey...You ladies need to start acting like ladies. Now, what's the problem in here?" We all started talking at once, our voices getting louder to get our points heard. "Ladies! Ladies! I'm gonna bring back the Women's Advisory Council. The first election will be held this Saturday. In the meantime, don't bother me and simmer down, okay?" He left the room and I let go of a now calm Lorna.

"What's the Women's Advisory Council?" I asked my petite friend.

At dinner, the gossip was all about who was running for the WAC election. It surprised me how many women wanted run for it. Our table was sitting in silence looking at each other. Tensions were rising between Nicky and Lorna and Piper and Alex all on opposite sides.

"So, I'm thinking campaign buttons instead of posters" Lorna started speaking when the awkward silence was getting too much. "'Cause everyone will be doing posters. We can stick 'em on with tape. What do you think about yellow and pink? They're my wedding colours. It's just a real pretty combination" Nicky rested her head on her arms, leaning on the table. I stretched across the table to ruffle her hair. She batted my hand away, giving me a small smile. "But I don't wanna tell Christopher 'cause I don't want him to get jealous"

"'Course not. You wouldn't want him to think you liked pink in prison, right, Morello?" Lorna stuck her middle finger up at Nicky. I just frowned at them both, clearly they've fallen out about something. "Still can't believe you're running for this lame shit"

"Red told me to. I'm her pick. You want me to say no to her?" Nichols laid her head back on her arms and just looked at Lorna with a blank stare.

"She picked you?"

"Yeah. You got a problem with that?" Asked Lorna.

"I just think it would've been smarter for her to pick a dyke. A real dyke"

"Yeah, Nicky. Last time I checked, Lorna was pretty gay. Gay for you, as a matter of fact" Alex chuckled.

"Oh, you didn't hear? We're done. Well, she's gotta start working on tightening her pussy muscles, 'cause her fiancé's is so small, it's like a hot dog in a hallway" Nicky pouted at Lorna. I looked at both of them, mouth slightly open. They seemed so good together.

"All right! Taystee, Taystee!" People started to chant from the table in the far corner of the cafeteria.

"What's going on?" I asked, stretching my neck to try to see over the see of people standing up. But my question wasn't heard over the noise.

"So, who are you running against besides Taystee?" Piper asked Lorna.

"She don't count" Shrugged the woman who was running. "Black ladies just run against the other black ladies. My competition is Pennsatucky. But it don't matter, because Red's gonna make all the white girls vote for me"

"Wait? So you're only running against white people?" I turned my head to ask Lorna, who was seated on the other side of Alex. She just nodded in response.

"You can only vote within your race or group. Look, just pretend it's the 1950s. It makes it easier to understand" Nicky answers. She reaches across the table to mess up my hair like I did with hers.

"See, everyone elects a representative from their own tribe. White, black, Hispanic, golden girls and others. And then those five girls, the meet with Healy, they tell him what we want, then he speaks to the higher - ups. It's like student council" Lorna further explained.

"But, how is that an effective system?" Piper asked. "Not every Hispanic person wants the same thing"

"Oh sure they do. They all want to come to America"

"Jesus, your entire world view is based on _West Side Story_, isn't it?" Nicky jumped in coming out of her bored seating position, putting her hand down to fold into her chest with the other.

"Can we get back to Lorna being racist? Just more of that, please" Alex pursed her glasses to the top of her head and looked at Lorna smirking. Almost flirting with her.

"But. Okay, fine" Lorna rolled her eyes. "See, I know because my neighbourhood is near them. They live, like, 20 people to one apartment. They have more kids than..even the Irish. The men like their women with big tits, big asses. They're dirty and greasy, their food smells nasty and they're taking all our jobs"

"That's a little offensive. My great grandparents were Irish, and they only had 3 kids" I whispered to Nicky and Alex who both snorted.

On the Friday morning most inmates ended up in the common room, some were getting ready for the big speeches happening tomorrow. Whilst keeping score of Nicky and Piper's scrabble game, I watched as Tiffany Doggett attempted to put a cross on the wall.

"A little too far! A little to the right!" She commanded her little disciple.

"Ain't we learned our lesson about hanging crosses, Tucky?" I snickered a little at Leanne, the minion's, comment to Doggett.

"Ain't we learned our lessons about mouthing off" She then shoved Leanne from the chair she was standing on to do the job herself. "You keep this up and God's gonna start questioning your devotion" Leanne bowed her head in response.

I was pulled back into the game when Piper tapped on the shoulder. It looked like Nicky had finally found a good enough word to put on the board and earn some much needed points.

"This fucking election" Nicky commented putting down the cardboard squares. "Like this place needs to be anymore like high school" 20 points, not bad. I put down the points on Nicky's side of the chart I'd drawn in the notebook.

"My God, I can't...I'm drowning in vowels over here" Piper said looking at her letters. I looked over to Morello's table where she was doing her badges for the campaign. Alex entered the room, I waved at her as she neared, she smiled at me and nodded back.

"You're just friends with everyone aren't you Grey" Nicky nudged my shoulder

"Well it's a shit place to have enemies" I told her "You're living with murderers in this place. I'd like to wake up in a morning. Thank you very much"

"Come on. It's delicious" We heard Lorna tease Alex. We turned to look in her direction, tongues holding some sort of pastry was being shoved in Alex's direction. Nicky looked back to game as Piper took her go.

"Speaking of high school.." Nicky commented.

"I feel like such an asshole, why won't she even look at me?" Piper asked after she put down a 12 point word.

"'Cause you were an asshole" Nicky said

"Everyone has their limits" I shrugged continuing the strawberry blondes comment.

"Okay, 32, 33, 34 points. Bam! You better write that down Lady Jane" I chuckled at Nicky's excitement. "Look, you know her better than I do, but in my experience, she can smell bullshit like a shark smells blood. Just cut out the eddy puppy act and be straight with her. Say you're sorry for being a dick"

"What about, like, a snappy kind of slogan? Something with rhymes in it?" I heard Morello's high pitch boston accent cut above the crowded room.

"Vote for Morello 'cause she's not yellow, she's white?" Alex suggested. Piper did a loud chuckle and the black haired beauty with glasses glanced our way before helping Lorna with the slogan.

The showers weren't as busy in. the evenings and myself and Nicky found ourselves in the shower cubicles next to each other. I tied the towel I had around my body as Nicky stepped out wearing a towel around her waist and another around her shoulders, so it covered her chest. We were both holding our little see through cases of toiletries. She smirked and looked me up and down as I exited the shower.

"That's a hell of a scar" I commented noticing it on her chest. It was a grey colour and deep as the skin tissue refused to heal properly.

"Pervert" She looked down at it and winked at me as she walked past on to the other side of the room. The sinks and mirrors were also free to use.

"Baboon heart?" I asked her as we approached the sinks and opened the cases.

"Bacterial infection" I nodded

"Snap" I pulled my towel down slightly to show her the top of my scar. "You miss it?" I asked her knowing she would understand I meant the drugs.

"Holy shit. So much" She replied applying roll on deodorant "More than good coffee, more than sleeping in the dark, more than wearing skirts"

"You wore a skirt?" I asked mildly surprised.

"Yeah. I loved a good skirt" She chuckled back."You?"

"Oh all the time. I miss the money you got from selling the good shit too" I scoffed. "The adrenaline, the power you got from making the sale..."

"Yeah, I miss cooking it. Which makes me an idiot, right?" I shook me head, no "I'd let it bubble, even though you waste it when you do that. I just loved the chemistry. The routine. I'm a sucker for ritual"

"Look at us Nichols, cut from the same price of cloth you and I"

Piper walked into the toilet stalls side of the room, waiting for the Spanish speaking woman to be done speaking to the devil inside the only stall that had a door.

"Do you know where Alex is?" She said, looking at the toilet roll in her hands. Nicky and I both shook our heads and started to brush our teeth.

"Don't be yellow, Vote for Morello" Lorna said from the stage. She then pinned her yellow sunflower looking badge to the cross Doggett put on the wall the day before. It was Saturday morning meaning the election speeches were happening and the common room was over crowded. I whooped as she jumped down, Lorna gave me a big thumbs up and smiled at me.

Everyone who was running had their own message and ideas. It really was like a high school council election. Sophia focused on medical care, Tiffany focused on her religion and only having white toilets in doors. I booed and Taystee shouted "This ain't the help bitch, but you will eat my shit".

Taystee decided to focus on water beds, so we could all feel like Beyoncé on yacht, i could feel myself getting seas sick thinking about it. And the Hispanic group decided to have a battle of the foods between pizza verses tacos. Tacos for the win, in my opinion.

Once the speeches concluded, we had somehow formed a circle around Taystee and Doggett, T had decided she wanted a rap battle. I was stood in front of Boo and Nicky being so small, so I could see what was happening clearly.

"They call me Taystee 'cause my pussy be delicious, Like an apple, it's nutritious, Like a Clinton, it's ambitious, You wanna mess with all that? Bitch, please" She turned around and shamed her ass in Pennsatucky's face. I laughed hard at the disgusted face as Taystee continued "You's a gnat, you'll go splat, Best be runnin', stat" The crowd cheered and hollered as she elongated the last word.

Leanne decided to step up "My name is Leanne and I got game, We're in Litchfield and it's kind of lame" Taystee just stared at her. She crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows as Leanne go in her face "This rapping thing don't seem so hard, Ain't like I'm a fucking retard" I leant on Boo as I clutched my stomach from laughing so hard. My belly was starting to hurt and tears were forming in my eyes.

Poussey was next "Fucking dumbass cracka, Should just smack ya" I shouted with the rest of the crowd "Think you own Jesus? Turns out he was black, The world is ironic Me? I'm deep like Atlantis, Rhyme some chronic shit then pray like a mantis, Matter of fact, I'm so done with your white trash ass, Just because you got little tits, don't mean you got class" She mimicked dropping a microphone in Leanne's face as she walks away.

"Yeah, P. That's how you do it. You fucking hill billy" I shouted to Leanne but only Nicky and Boo heard me as they turned to me with raised eyebrows. Boo just lost it completely then, she couldn't stop laughing as she high fives me.

Hip - hop music then filled the room. Boo decided it was her turn to take the stage, showing the circle of ladies around her some moves. She took her beige shirt off, leaving a white vest top on, and chucked it in my direction. I pretended to faint as Nicky caught me with a smile on her face. She started to grind her hips and trapped Chang to grind up against. Things got so weird but the room loved it and encourages her to continue dancing.

Boo got down on the floor in a press up position and moved her hips up down off the floor. She then lay on her back and started to lift her hips up again but faster, Suzanne then saw an opportunity to join in and started to grind on top of her with the beat. I chucked the shirt i was holding in their general direction, Boo caught it. Nicky saw it as an opening to do some dancing of our own. She spun me around, under her arm, and we swayed to the music. Her warm hand resting on my hips as my back was facing her.

We all stopped as soon as Mr Healy switched off the lights. Shit, we've been caught.

"Are we supposed to lie down, Mr Healy?" Taystee asked for the room. He sent us back to our cubes until it was time for dinner. Nicky and I laughed the whole way back. Occasionally bumping our hips together as we walked down the corridor.

It was now evening and we had all gathered in cafeteria to eat. I was heading over to the usual table when a woman's voice, it sounded like CO Fischer, made an announcement. "Attention. All maple syrup is now considered contraband after las weeks incident. The winners of the WAC election will be announced shortly. Thank you. Enjoy dinner! I hope it's scrumptious"

I slammed my tray on the table between Boo and Piper "She's so full of sunshine, Fischer. Why is she working in a place like this?" I commented taking my seat at the table.

"Maybe she likes pussy" Boo replied, wiggling her eyebrows. I snickered.

"I'm real nervous" Lorna announced.

"I thought the whole idea of Red endorsing you is that you're going to win" Piper said to her.

"It is. She's just playing coy. It's a talent of hers" Nicky shrugged. Pushing food around her plate. Them breaking up has really hurt her. Red then came over carrying slices of cake on a paper plate. I almost started drooling, it looked so good.

"I made Claudette's famous coconut cake. In honour of our new WAC representative" Red placed them in front of Lorna and Nicky.

"Should coconut be beige?" The dirty blonde, curly haired woman asked. Red hit her round the back of her head and took her slice away.

"I'll have it Red" I said. She smiled and handed me the plate. I stuck my tongue out at Nicky before taking a bite. I moaned in delight. "Damn, this shit is good" Red laughed and walked back to the kitchen.

Healy's voice echoed through the speaker. The votes had been counted and it was time for the winners to be announced. "Ladies, attention, please"

"How's my hair?" Lorna asked Nicky. And Nicholas' eyes filled with adoration with a hint of sadness, she reached over the table and tucked Lorna's hair behind her ear.

"You look great, kid. Don't worry. You're gonna be great" Nicky said softly giving the guaranteed winner a small smile.

"Your elected WAC leaders are: Ruiz, Maria Ruiz.. Jefferson.. Chang, who will be representing both the others and the golden girl.. " After each announcement there was a celebration from each group. The final one had to be Lorna ".. And Chapman"

Everyone slowly turned to face Piper who looked at us wit confusion on her face. Her eyes looked at Lorna and Red as she realised she was in deep shit.

"But you didn't even run!" Lorna spat out in anger and despair.


	6. Chapter 6

Alex, Nicky and I were sat on the stairs. My head buried in a book whilst they were giving each other dares. It was Alex go and Nicky had dared to fit as many saltines in her mouth as humanly possible in thirty seconds.

"Twenty-six, Twenty-seven, Twenty-eight, Twenty-nine, Thirty! Ha! Who's the big talker now?" Nichols egged Alex on.

"You were counting too fast, right Grey?" The black haired beauty defended. I looked at them and raised my hands in surrender, I wasn't getting involved.

"Bullshit, Vause. I told you, it can't be done. Six saltines in 30 seconds?" Alex spits in Nicky's general direction, also getting me in the process. Some crumbs landing on my glasses.

"Gross Vause!' I screamed at her wiping my top and cleaning my glasses.

"You are a disgusting animal. Okay, what the fuck?" Nicky and Alex burst out laughing at the look on my face "Which is a quality I greatly admire in a person. You're in touch with primal instinct" Nicky flirted.

"Yeah well, my primal self cannot resit a dare, apparently. Which is also how I ended up with three broken toes and briefly chlamydia" I wrinkled my nose up a little and laughed. I got up to make sure all the crumbs had gotten off my uniform before making my way to window. I saw Watson standing outside having just arrived back from her couple of weeks in SHU. Her arms spread out and her face faced upwards towards the sky.

"Hey, get over here you're missing a moment" I told them both as I watched. Nicky and Alex made their way over and we all crowded around the window. "God, SHU must really suck ass"

"Man, she was in there for two weeks. I've had shits longer than that" Nicky answered. Being under 5ft meant she could put her arm on my head and lean on me. I pushed her off, and she just laughed. Alex scoffed at the both of us.

Morello called a 'wedding meeting' at 11am in the common room, she invited a whole group of inmates to help her pick ideas for the wedding, myself and Norma were the only people that turned up now.

"These are all the places I'm going to travel when I get out of here. Starting with Anguilla. I read that Orlando Bloom honeymooned there. And Courtney Cox and David Arquette, even though that didn't work out. I love the beach, but i burn like a lobster, so I'm gonna get a good swim shirt and bonus, it's gonna hide the gallbladder scar" Lorna said without taking a breath. Norma grabbed her notebook and wrote INDUBITABLY and i snorted under my breath. "Oh and Jane, I haven't forgot about going to England too, we could go see everything over there, I could spend a whole few months, like a big bachelorette party thing when we are both released. I could invite Christopher too so you can get to know him. It'll be great!" I just nodded my head not wanting to discourage her from the little fantasies she had. It clearly got her through the rough days in Litchfield.

"Okay, bitches. Who's first in line for some puppy loving?!" Boo came in the room holding the lead to a golden retriever. Lorna and I raced over to pet the animal. I thought I wouldn't get to pet one for a few years.

"He's so cute" I squealed whilst stroking the dogs fur.

"He looks just like my dog from when I was a kid" CO Fischer said coming over and getting on her knees to pet the animal. "Except mine was more of a Dachshund but the nostril part is the same"

"You ever notice how some dog names sound dirty? Like, shih tzu, cocker, Jack-something?" Mr Caputo asked. I didn't even notice him, I was so busy stroking the golden fur of the dog.

"Poodle" Fischer replied. Earning an over-exaggerated laugh from Mr Caputo. Someone has a crush, I thought.

"That is good, I didn't think of that one" He said earning a look from Piper as she stood behind him. She raised her eyebrows and continued to walk down the corridor.

"Guys, look at that face. I'm gonna call her Little Boo. Who's a Little Boo?" Boo said interrupting Mr Caputo's moment. I 'awed'. How adorable. We now have a Big Boo and Little Boo.

It was night time, and it was late. All I wanted to do was sleep but Watson had decided to take it upon herself to do her work out routine. She was stomping and panting, doing god knows what. I decided to sandwich my head between my pillow wanting to keep the noise to a minimum so I could get some sleep.

"I know you ain't fucking with my beauty rest, you." I heard Black Cindy shout to her.

"They closed the track on me, hater. I ain't gonna get soft like the rest of ya'll" Watson shouted to the room. Her bunk mate, Poussey then tried to reason with her, as i heard her muttering so the guards didn't hear if they happened to walk by "I got 10 minutes before the CO come back around"

Jones decided to get up and see if she could talk to her. I followed at a distance in case a fight broke out. I wanted to be there to protect Erica, our friendship had bloomed since we shared a bunk space together. Plus it wasn't like I'd be able to go back to sleep with all the noise happening anyway.

When we got closer to the other side of the room, Watson had already left her cube and was ready to pounce on Cindy for telling her to be quiet.

"I get it" Jones approached her with causation. Speaking in soft tones.

"What you talking 'bout, you get it?" Watson was wound up though. Fishing for a fight. "Yo, go on back to the Suburbs, string cheese. Take pretty princess with you" She looked at me then.

"I was like you once. Pissed off..Thought the world owed me something. It took me a long time to let go of that anger"

"Bitch, you lying to yourself with this whole Namaste bullshit"

"You're a step ahead already" Jones tried to reason with her. They were drawing a crowd as W vey one came out of their cubes to see what was happening. "Channeling your feelings through physical activity, which means, the mind and body connect"

"Who touched you, yo?" Watson tutted at her. I took a step forward but Piper held my arm to stop me. "Was it your uncle? Your daddy?"

"Okay, you want to project your issues onto me? That's cool, but i feel bad for you" Watson gives a humourless laugh. "That negative energy is just gonna eat you up inside"

"Man, you this deep in the shit" Watson scoffs. "You must have done something fucking evil. Why you in here, yo? Did you kill someone? You fucked a kid? You kill a kid?" Jones slapped Watson so hard it knocked her off balance an on to the ground. I didn't know she had it in here. The room went still, the only sound heard was Watson's body hitting the floor.

Erica looked drained as she walked back to me, I put her arm in mine and guided her back to our cube. I sat her on the bed, she lay down and I tucked the blanket around her. Making sure she was okay before I went to my side of the room and turned out off the little torch light so we could both try to get some rest.

Flu season is the worst, especially when you're stuck in a prison with a couple hundred other woman, we just keep passing back round to each other. Since I had finally managed to get over the latest cold I had, I thought cleaning the bed sheets and blankets was a good idea and headed down to the laundry room.

Alex was folding clean sheets whilst I had the idea of doing my own, considering she looked overworked on her own, everyone was sick apparently.

"Thanks Grey" she said when I told her. "I owe you one"

"Just grab me some sweets from commissary and we'll call it even" I shrugged and put my load in.

I was now sat on the table with Philip Pullman's, _Northern Lights_, in my hand making small talk with Alex. Nicky and Piper walked in with a tool belt and and big instruction manual for the faulty washing machine.

"Hey, there" Nicky said mocking builders "Here you got a broken appliance, ma'm" She walked closer putting her thumbs in the belt on her hips. "A real rusty old thing that needs fixing?"

"Oh, well, my husband isn't home. He's got the cheque-book" Alex played along putting on a southern American accent. "Hopefully there's some way I could pay you"

"Well, I have been feeling a little tense lately. Maybe if I stick my dick in your mouth, it might help me relax"

"God. No, thanks" Alex immediately came out of character and cringed. I just shook my head at Nicky and Piper.

"What? Too hetero? Okay. How about 'wrench in your twat?'"

"Nichols, that's even worse" I said and sniffled at the end to try to clear my nose a little.

"All right. Well the broken one is over there and her name is Myra." Alex pointed to the broken machine. "So you can stick your wrench in her twat" Nicky snickered. And walked towards the broken washing machine.

Candy clattered on the ground. I looked up from my book again "Urgh, Nichols. I think you've got a visitor?" Nicky stopped what she was doing and saw it was Norma.

"I hate when she sends The Quiet Storm" she says talking about Red.

"Can't she just come over and tap you on the shoulder?" I ask putting my glasses in my pocket.

"She has an irrational fear of the spin cycle. Won't step foot in here" Nicky replied, taking her tool belt off. I have to admit though, I found it sort of sexy when she had it on. "I'd better go"

"Yeah, well, mommy needs you" Alex tells her with a shrug.

"Can't be that serious. When it's serious, she throws coconut" I snorted and jumped off the table.

"I'll come with you, see if Red needs any extra help in the kitchen. I want an extra slice of whatever dessert she's prepping for dinner" I told the group. "I'll be back later to pick up my washing" I told Alex.

I ended up in the kitchen, chopping up bananas, how Red still trusts me with knife...I couldn't conjure up an answer but I'm happy to be a part of her family. I put the 30 chopped banana in the bowl and went to knock on Red's office door to see what I can do next.

"...and whoever she drags down with her deserves it" The Russian sounded angry. I knew it was wrong to listen in on the conversation but I couldn't help myself.

"You send her down the hill, she's fucked and you know it. Okay, you're taking this personally. It's not personal, it's chemical. Drugs have a way of making you do shit, you don't wanna do" I heard Nicky nearly shout, trying to get her point across.

Red's chair scraped back. "So do I" She responded and gave Nicky the job of pushing Tricia out of the family. She also told the natural redhead to take me with her, to prove myself. To test my loyalty to the family.

Tricia was lying in bed when we reached her cube. The blonde looked, grey and her skin was waxy from all the sweat. Despite it being warm in the room she was also shivering with a blanket wrapped around her. Nicky and I watched. It was heartbreaking to see.

'How goes it?" Nicky made our presence known.

"I've been better" Tricia croaked out.

"If I tell you it gets easier does that make me corny?"

"Makes you a liar" Tricia gave her a little smile as Nicky grabs a chair for both of us to sit down by the bed.

"We brought you some O.J. Carton, not Simpson" I told the woman in the bed and left the Carton on the metal cupboard on the other side of the bed. It earned a chuckle.

"Man, this clinic my mom dragged me to, they strapped me down to a bed just like this. So the nurses hated me, 'cause i kept makin' _Exorcist _jokes. That shit never gets old, right?" Nicky was easing herself into it. I leant my head on her shoulder, watching Tricia.

"I might actually be lucky this happened now. Guards just think I have the flu like everyone else" Tricia said, trying to sit up but failing.

"Well, in two days, you're gonna be wishing you had the flu" I told the younger female.

"I'm lucky you're both here with me. And I'll get through it. I'll get back on track. They won't even find out I was using"

"Yes, they will" Nicky snapped at her

"Shit, no. Girls got my back, right? I ain't never snitched nobody, so who'd gonna tell 'em?"

"You are" Nicky looked at her expressionless.

"What?" Tricia asked surprised.

"Two strikes" I said to her.

"That's all you get. Red sent us. Says she doesn't play baseball" Nicky continued for me.

"I'm quitting, Nicky. Tell her that. Don't make me go down there" Tricia begged.

"This isn't about you. Red's fighting a bigger fight. Shit's changing around here" Nicky shook her head, leaning her elbow on her knees so she could look the girl, lying on the bed, in the eye.

"She is supposed to take care of me us"

"You're gonna get up. You're gonna walk down to the CO's office. You're gonna tell him you're using and through yourself on his mercy"

"They'll put me in the SHU, and I'll die in there" Tricia tried to plea with us.

I shook my head at her. "You won't die, you'll suffer. And they you'll come back out" I told her with a whisper to my face. I was getting flashback to nearly a year ago, when i was in this position.

"You're supposed to be my family" Tricia spat at both of us.

"Not anymore" Nicky looked her dead in the eye. She ten grabbed my hand and walked out. I held her hand tight as we walked out the room, listening to Tricia scream both our names.

Nicky and I ended up lying on the stage in chapel listening to music from her device. We managed to tune into a radio station we both liked. CO Mendez snuck up on us both, we were lost in our own world, and turned off the device.

"This room is for prayer" His deep voice told us.

"Never heard of it" Nicholas retorted sarcastically.

"We need to talk" We both sat up and got in a more comfortable position. "Heard about your old roommate. Sent down to seg, and an extended sentence. It's a raw deal"

"Yeah" Nicky agreed.

"I got a couple of questions that I need to ask you. I think you may know the answers to them. About Red and the way she runs her business" Mendez said.

"Nicky, don't do it. Don't tell him" I whispered, so only she could hear. She glanced at me and looked back to pornstache.

"Neptune's Produce. You wanna know how she gets the contraband in. That's it. Now leave me the fuck alone" Nicky lay back down and stared at the ceiling. I watched the commission officer walk away before i confronted her.

"What the fuck Nicky? Why did you do that?" I asked her. Pissed off she ratted out the mother figure of our family. She just shrugged put her two earphones back in and switched her portable radio on. I stormed off the stage, needing to get away from her.

Later in the day, I stood by the window watching the Neptune's Produce delivery van pull up into the yard. Mendez stopped the moving vehicle and got in the passenger's side. Oh Nicky, what have you done?


	7. Chapter 7

Today was Thanksgiving, an American holiday I never really understood. Red gave me the role of peeling and chopping the potatoes at the station facing Nicky. Since she snitched on Red to Mendez, we haven't spoke much. I looked up from where I was stood, putting the chopped cubes into a big pan ready to mashed.

"Why aren't you at work?" Red asked Nicky, getting some potatoes out of the stock so I could peel and chop them.

"Luschek never showed" She answered, never looking away from the carrot she was peeling. "Probably passed out in his own vomit somewhere"

"So you chose to come in here and help?" Maybe Nicky felt guilty for what she did, I thought.

"Yeah. Figured you could used it for Thanksgiving" Nicky replied, grabbing another carrot to peel.

"Then get your ass off my counter and help Gina pull the turkey out the freezer" The Russian ordered.

"Shit, we got real turkey this year?" Red looked smug as Gina passed the turkey trimmings to Nicky.

"We got trimming from the factory. 50 cents a pound"

"Trimmings. The shit no one else wants. That's a bag of turkey assholes right there"

"The whole meal has to come in at $1.05 a prisoner. Taxpayers don't give a shit if it's a holiday. We're the bad guys" Red went over to the Neptune's Produce box and Nicky went silent, looking down at the turkey trimmings. I scoffed and continued with my work.

After spending a few hours in the kitchen, Red told me I could go and help with Taystee's leaving party. I found myself heading towards the common room when I heard Pornstache's voice "We're gonna let you have your little going away party, but do not make our lives more difficult afterwards by hanging yourself. With a sheet, or a tampon string or whatever the fuck you like to get all arts and crafty with. No Thanksgiving suicides. Grey! What are we not to do on this day of thanks?" He asked as he spotted me leaning on the doorway.

"Commit suicide" I answered.

"Exactly. We are the Pilgrims, you bitches are the Indians. This is the holiday where we cooperate"

"Oh yes. We bring you maize..and you give us smallpox blanket" Boo said to him sarcastically.

"Exactly. Everybody wins"

I went over to a table where there was a blank purple sheet of paper. I grabbed black and red markers to write 'GOOD LUCK TAYSTEE' on it. Poussey came running in the room telling us Taystee was coming. We all started to chant her name and clapped when she walked in.

Boo and I raced towards her and gave her a giant hug. Mendez shouted at us and we backed off.

"Hey, yo come here" Poussey said holding her arms out so she could hug her best friend "Girl, you my shawty"

"Aw, cut it out. You scrubby little hood rats gonna make a bitch cry" Cindy said getting up making her way over to the girl leaving the prison and pulled her into her own hug. The Kellis song _Milkshake_ started to play over the little speakers in the room and everyone started to dance, including Piper and Alex, which shocked the room.

"Shit, these white girls trying to throw down" Poussey commented stop her own moves as she watch Chapman and Vause do a coordinated dance. They then moved closer together and started to move their hips together.

After a couple of minutes the whole room had stopped to watch them dance. Doggett left the room to fetch Mr Healy, a horrified look crossed his face and it went red. Almost as if he could burst a blood vessel at any moment.

"Chapman!" He roared over the music. "Get over here" Piper tried to explain herself but Healy cut her off. "Shut your mouth Chapman. You think it's appropriate to violate your fellow inmate?"

"Violate? We were just dancing" Piper explained.

"I said shut your mouth!"

"You asked me a question" Piper said confused.

"That looked like attempted rape to me. Take her to SHU" Healy said in a dangerously calm tone.

"What? You can't do that" She argued back.

"Yeah, she's kind of right" Mendez piped up.

"Shut up Mendez!" Healy turned his rage on him. "You know, I'm tired of your shit. I'm your superior fucking officer. Now you put her in the goddamn box or I will fucking write you up too!"

Alex stepped forward to defend the blonde woman who was her ex lover. "She didn't even do anything"

"Step back!" He shouted in Alex's face. "Or I will cite you for assaulting an officer"

"I have visitation today. Larry's coming to see me. You can't do this" Piper panicked. Desperate not to go to SHU. You could hear her screaming about visitation as she was dragged from the room.

I woke up from my afternoon nap to Maxwell, a CO officer, telling Taystee it was time to leave the prison as the Van was set up ready to go. "If you don't go now, you're not getting out till Monday"

I got up, rubbed the sleep from my eyes and stretched my arms up. I grabbed my jumper from the hook on the wall.

"Yo! Where's Poussey at?" I heard Taystee yell around the room.

"Jefferson! Now" The guard was not in a giving mood for it being the holiday of Thanksgiving.

We all rushed to the window, to wave her off as she headed to the van. Heavy footsteps clomped down the hallway and up the stairs. Poussey stopped running when she got to the window, I stepped aside so she could see her best friend go to the van.

"What the fuck? What the fuck? They took her already?" Poussey asked out of breath from the running. "I didn't even say goodbye. Taystee! Yo! Tays!" She banged on the window trying to get the woman outside to notice her.

"She can't hear you" Jones said from behind her but Poussey took no notice and continued to bang on the window until Taystee noticed her. Taystee did a dance and waved towards us before she got in the van.

It's always sad to see someone go, especially when you become friends with them. I've noticed you go through a mix of emotions. You're happy to see them go but also sad. You're jealous it's not you and that causes you to nearly scream at them as you hug them goodbye. It's no different with Taystee. In the kindest way possible, I hope I never see her again.

Once the van drove off, we left Poussey alone at the window. I think she needed her own space for a while. I made my way down to laundry room, where Alex was working and trying to fix her glasses. I sat down on the table and started to read the _Northern Lights_ from where I bookmarked.

"You still reading the same book?" The black haired beauty asked. "You must be busy, usually you're finished in a couple of weeks"

I chuckled "Maybe i'm just savouring my time with this one" I turned another page, completely hypnotised by the novel's plot. I pushed my glasses up my nose as I heard a set of foot steps enter the room.

"Hey, Vause, I know you're not working but can I get my bag?" I heard Nicky's New York accent as she walked around the corner, past the big, white, washing machines.

"Yeah just give me a sec" Alex replied. She was fixing her snapped glasses with tape. I shut my bookie and sighed as I got off the table, grabbed the green card off her and reached over the pile to find Nicky's bag with her ID number on.

"What happened to your glasses?" The frizzy haired woman asked the black haired beauty.

"Smashed in the name of Jesus" Vause mimicked Pennsatucky.

"Oh, shit. Pennsatucky? Wow. You guys have released the kraken"

"She's decided it's her Christian duty to annihilate me. Because 'I'm a privileged rich girl'" Alex scoffed. "Which is hilarious, because those types of girls tortured me my whole fucking life. If you and I would've met in 5th grade, you would've made fun of my clothes" Vause then put her glasses on her face, now fixed with a band of tape going around the middle, where they sit on the bridge of your nose. We all laughed.

"Who me? I would never" Nicky chuckled.

"You look great" I said to Vause, passing her Nicky's bag.

"Thanks Jane" She nodded to me. She then took her glasses off and looked at them "Fuck! I know what you were like. Upper West Side, doorman building, skiing in Jackson Hole. Am I wrong?"

"Who told you that shit?" Nicky said to Alex defensively. She then looked my way accusingly. I put my hands up in surrender, grabbed my book off the table and leant against the wall, continuing to read.

"No one" Alex said jumping to my defensive. "My business was built on sniffing out girls like you and turning 'em into drug mules"

"I knew it. You're a pimp" Nicky went back to her cheeky personality.

"Man, you would've been perfect. Little Nick at 19? I would've turned you out in two seconds" Alex snapped her fingers

"I'd make a terrible mule. I would've done all your drugs. Besides, okay, what makes you think I would've fallen for your shit" My head peaked up out of the page I was reading, following the conversation with my eyes, keeping to the shadows. Almost like a vampire. They forgot I was there.

"Well, you grew up rich, so you're used to easy money. You have enough stamps in your passport to avoid suspicion. You hate your parents. You're in your experimental phase, all you wanna do is fuck a woman or black guy, have some adventures and still be able to afford a Birkin bag"

"Shit, I'm in!" Nicky exclaimed. "Fuck it. You know me" I buried my head back in book. That sentence hurt, I know her too. But I'd never show how much she hurt me by us not speaking to each other. "Sign me up. Oh, was that who Piper was?"

Alex stopped fiddling with her glasses and looked Nicky in the eye, all traces of laughing and joking gone. "No, no, Piper was different"

"Why? 'Cause you loved her?" Nichols pushed.

"Because she was different" Alex gave a half smile. There was half a second of silence where they just stared at each other before Nicky spoke again.

"Get some glue, pimp" She pointed the glasses. Nicky looked my way "Grey, been a pleasure" She nodded my way and walked back round to the doorway leading from the basement area, holding her now washed bag of clothes.

I had just finished my shift of serving Thanksgiving dinner and was passing Red with my own tray in my hands. "Thanks Red" I said as I shifted pass her and Boo.

"No Gravy? Why no gravy?" Boo asked the head chef.

"You complaining" The other woman challenged. Boo shook her head and lead the dog she held by the lead to stand next to me.

"Looking for a seat Lady Jane?" I nodded. Scanning the room. "Come on" Boo said and lead me to a table where Jones, Poussey, Sophia, Sister Ingles and Nicky sat.

"I'm thankful for my health, and for you girls, who remind me every day self forgiveness is possible" we heard Jones say as we got to the table.

"I'm thankful Taystee got the fuck out of this dump" I placed my tray next to Poussey and gave her a hug from behind, wrapping my arms around her neck pulling the back of her head into my chest. I then sat down next to her and place some of the mash potatoes in my mouth.

"I'll second that" I said with my mouth full. I was trying not to spit everywhere. So it came out as a big mumble.

"I'm thankful for my new bitch, Little Boo" Big Boo said, bending down petting her furry friend. "Sit, hooker" Little Boo sat and barked "Good girl" Boo grabbed a corn on the cob and placed it in front of the dog to eat. "Oh and, of course, I'm thankful for all y'all other bitches too" She said pulling me into a side hug. I batted her away with my fork and knife.

"Do you wanna say grace, Sister?" Jones asked the nun.

"I trust in the Lord with all my heart and lean not on my own understanding. Amen" We all echoed the final word and continued eating the food acting like a little family.


	8. Chapter 8

It was about a week after Thanksgiving and Nicky and I decided to be friends again. It started with a simple "Can I borrow a tampon?" From myself to her, with me giving her a bar of candy for it. The time we spent not talking didn't have an impact on our friendship. We picked up where we left, it's nice. I've realised just how much I've missed her and her goofy, smug grin.

"I'm not gay" Piper said before sticking the slice of orange in her mouth. Sucking the juices out.

"All I'm saying is, we've notice a pattern developing around breakfast time" Nicky said, bumping our shoulders together.

"You come in late, just before Vause" I said

"Strategically staggered arrival?" Nicky asked as we started the double act of finishing the others sentences.

"Sounds familiar" Lorna pitched in. Nicky winked at her.

"No, absolutely not" Piper shook her head. Denying it.

"Okay, where were you then? 'Cause I went by your cube.." Nicky teased.

"So yes, Alex and I have been spending a lot of time together but it's not like I'm.."

"What, rejoining the softball league?" I quickly cut her off. Imitating her American accent. Lorna and Nicky laughed.

"No, softball is the furthest thing from my mind" Piper stressed, rolling her eyes.

Nicky leaned in a little closer to her. "Oh, no, let me be clear. Grey's attempt at being American might've confused you a little. By softball, she meant two in the front and then one in the butt, and then just eating the pussy a lot, cause you like it so much" Nicky demonstrated the action as she told Piper. It was my turn to laugh, a little snort came out.

"Let me explain something to you. Alex and I are very old friends. We have an affectionate relationship" Nicky sarcastically nodded and I raised my eyebrows. "I need that. I'm human. It's about comfort, right?"

"Hey, Morello, remember when we used to comfort each other?" Nicky asked Lorna, sat directly opposite to her at the cafeteria table, with a smirk on her face.

"Sure. You were very comfortable" Lorna said, sticking the piece of sausage that rested on her fork in her mouth.

"Speak of the devil" I whispered in Nicky's ear as Alex approached the table.

"Hey guys, just barely made breakfast"

"Huh. Long shower line?" I asked her, looking around Nicky.

"Yeah, it was really awful today"

"Your hair's dry" Nicky bumped shoulders with girl in question. I gave her a high five. Picked my tray up and followed Lorna to the tray rack. I threw away everything on the tray and stacked on one of the last remaining spaces and pushed the heavy load towards the kitchen to begin the cleaning part of the job.

We cleaned all the trays, kitchen utensils, pots and wiped down the surfaces. The list of things to do is always large when you work in the kitchen, but I suppose that's true whatever sector you work in at the prison. The more hours you work, the more cents rack up in your account and pretty soon I'll be able to afford another _Pepsi_. It's like a little bit of heaven in a can.

I was helping Red prepare the vegetables and Lorna had made an appearance during my shift, grabbing a courgette from the pile and carving a smiley face into the skin with a small kitchen knife.

"You know, I don't do much of the cooking at home. Christopher's the one who cooks. And not just out of the box. All fancy ingredients, Bucatini. You ever hear of that? Morello asked a bored looking Red. I kept silent. "It's like a hollow spaghetti. He made that once with clam sauce"

"You can go if you want. You know, I have everything under control" Red hinted at the petite girl to go.

"Oh no. I like helping" Lorna didn't recognise the hint and showed Red her handy work.

Mendez entered the kitchen looking threatening with his hands clasped behind his back and a gleam in his eye, meaning he was after something only Red could supply him with.

"Ladies" He greeted. "Red, you happen to have those ice cream bars that I asked for" He went into the freezer to source whatever he was looking for and the door slam shut behind him. I looked up to Red in concern, she just patted my shoulder and continued chopping.

"It's not ice cream, is it?" Lorna asked, pointing out the obvious, Red chose to ignore her.

Out the corner of my eye I saw another person enter the kitchen. This time with some hesitance almost like she didn't want to come in. I looked up from my work and realised it was Tricia. We hadn't seen her in week, not since she was shipped off to the SHU. Her skin looked like it had a permanent layer of sweat and her eyes were red and puffy from not getting the high her body craved.

"Hey! Look who's back from back from the dungeon of doom!" Morello squealed racing over ten the blonde, with her usual cornrow style. Tricia smiled at her brightly and brought her into a tight gripped hug.

"Hey Red" Tricia looked to the dyed bright red haired woman who put the knife she was using down. I smiled and waved a little at her. My heart happy to see her and she looked like was getting slightly better from the going cold turkey. "So..I detoxed. You know, I'm clean now. Drug-free America, yo"

"What do you want, a medal? A sticker that says, 'great job'? Red said harshly. "What did you think? That everything would be fine? I have one rule. No drugs. You lied to my face. You're on your own"

Tricia nodded and saw it as her cue to leave. "Fine" She said, turned on her heel and stormed out. I sighed, upset with how it was playing out. I saw myself in Tricia, only a few years younger than me. All she needs is someone to guide her through the mess.

I was later sat with Watson at a table in the common room, she was reading a magazine whilst I was reading my book of the month _Pride and Prejudice_. Apparently Pennsatucky and her loyal disciples had also saw it fit to hold their meeting in the same place too, making it great entertainment when I got frustrated and Jane Austen's characters.

"...And when I say, you have received the Holy Spirit with you, you won't need any medicine. You won't need a band-aid. You won't need that beer" Doggett preached to the small crowd in front of her. "He will be that medicine. He will be that band-aid. He will be that beer. Can I get an amen?" The little group echoed the word 'Amen'.

Doggett laid her hands on top of Angie's head. "You still got that headache?"

"Yeah, but, you know, it's not the worst headache I've ever had" the other woman shrugged.

"What about now?"Tiffany asked moving her hands dramatically, to touch every part of Angie's face.

"Um, I don't know. Gone?"

Pennsatucky then moved on to the next 'patient', touching the shoulder. And shouting 'oh God, heal this broken woman' every few seconds. I stopped reading and just watched the show. When the woman said her pain had been healed, Tiffany went on another preaching session to her loyal subjects.

"That's the power of our Lord. He will heal you, He is all power!"

"What the hell you know about the Lord anyway?" Watson contributed. I put my elbow on the table and rested my head in the palm of my hand. This is going to be good. "Man, you ain't got no healing power. You ain't go shit"

"Hey, you don't know what your talking about. Tucky's touched, okay?" Leanne defended her faithful leader. "She made Angie's headache go away. Right, Ang?" Angela nodded her head.

"No she didn't. She took that headache and gave it to me" Piper shouted across the room from where she was stood, next to Alex, in the doorway. Watson and I snickered.

"I'll tell you what, I've got a fucked up knee" Watson turned to face Doggett again, messing with her. "You so spiritual, come and show me what you got"

"It don't work that way" Doggett said smugly.

"Huh. It don't work no way 'cause you just like the Wizard of Oz. Just a bunch of show and nothing behind the curtain"

"What are you talking about? Wizards are evil" Angie said, looking at Watson like she was the crazy one.

"Alright, alright. You know what, i never claimed to have any special powers. I just do as the Lord tells me and it flows through me"

"Jibber, Jibber, Jabber, Jabber. Lay hands, bitch" Watson cut Doggett's speech off. I reopened by book to hide that face I was going to burst out laughing at any moment. Suddenly, Doggett threw the _Holy_ _Bible_ she had been holding on to the table, it hit the wooden surface with a slap, making me jump. She bent down onto one knee and put her hands on Watson's leg, rubbing them up down.

"Holy Spirit, I'm calling on you right now. Holy Spirit. You and me and her, together as one, healing these knees. Make this woman well!" I stood, leaning over the table to get a better view. Watson bobbed her knee up and down slowly. She slapped my arm, pretending to get my attention.

"Holy shit! You did it. You actually did it!" Watson exclaims. Tiffany did the sign of the cross mouthing a 'thank you' to her God. Watson walked away doing a little dance. I just chuckled and opened my book ready to see what happens after Mr Darcy fell into the fountain.

Piper, Alex, Boo (plus Little Boo) and I were all sat together in the cafeteria, discussing how we could mess with Doggett even more, when the she devil walked by our table.

"Hey Doggett. Hold up" Tiffany turned at Boo's voice calling her. "Listen, I heard you cured Janae's knee. Is that true?"

"Yeah. I'm just a simple woman, doing the work of the Lord"

"I see. That's really incredible. Do you think you could help me?" Boo asked acting desperate.

"Well, what's hurting?" Asked Doggett, believing her.

"My mind, I have unclean thoughts. Lesbian content" Boo whispered to the woman, making it seem she was ashamed of herself. "What do you think? Do you think you could help?"

"You know, you're messin' with me and I don't mess with my Lord and that. Sorry but.."

"No, I'm not" Boo nearly shouted. "I'm not, I swear. I mean since..Look, Look since I had Little Boo, i found these feelings of mother deep inside me. I think someday I might wanna have a kid. But i don't want to do it with another woman, cause those kids, they always turn out gay. The cycle of terror ends now, with me'

"You're serious?" Boo nods. "You ready to take on the Lord's grace?" Boo nods again. "Kneel before me. Bring the dog, please. Right here before me we have a sinner, Lord, who's ready to accept you into her heart. Cleanse her heart of sickness and her mind of filth"

"Yeah, I'm still seeing filth" I snickered from where I sat at the table.

"Concentrate! Dear Lord, I ask you today to help this sinner final a life of family, a life of rightness. We're gonna make her pure and whole and good again. As i lay my hand on this child's head right here, right now, I ask you Lord, help her. Help her become gay, Lord, no more!" She pushes Boo's head away from her slightly, so her hands no longer rest on her head. Boo gasps.

"I don't feel any different" tears fill Boo's eyes. "Wait. Let me try picturing the 2008 US women's Soccer Team. Wait...I don't feel anything. I don't like this. Change me back!" Boo scream is heard around the room as a few women stop what they doing at watch. But Doggett just walks away.

We all formed a crowd outside the cafeteria and common room. Not believing the news that one of us had killed themselves. According to the rumours circling, it was Tricia Miller. The female with cornrows in her hair. My heart broke a little at the news feeling like it was partly my fault for not sticking up for her when Red abandoned her.

I found myself stood next to Nicky, watching the black body bag on the moving cart be wheeled towards the door at the end of the hallway. I felt tears form in my eyes and turned my head into Nicky's shoulder. She put her arm around me and brought me into a hug.

"Shhh" She rocked me in her arms as I sniffled willing the tears to stop rolling down my cheeks. Nicky rested her head on mine watching the crow disband once the body left the building. "Come on, we need to talk to Red" I nodded and let Nicky grab my hand and pull me towards Red's office.

We heard small sobs coming from the little office as we entered the dimly lit kitchen. The only light really coming from the lamp in there.

"Red?" Nicky called. Putting her unused hand on the caged door, asking silently for permission to enter. I squeezed her hand tight as the Russian came over and opened the door.

"It's my fault. I turned her away" Red said, flopping down in the chair by the desk.

"No. This is not on you" I told her walking over to her crouching down in front of her.

"I didn't mean she was out forever" Red went into an explanation for her actions towards Tricia before she died. I squeezed her shoulder in comforting gesture. "I just wanted to teach her a lesson. I thought she was stronger"

I stood up from my crouching position and headed back to Nicky's side leaning on the wall next to her.

"She was" Nicky defended her friend."She didn't hang herself. She OD'd. I saw her wobbling around the cafeteria this morning" But the words did nothing to stop Red from crying again.

"So she killed her self a different way. I'm the one responsible" Red choked out.

"No. This isn't on you. It's on me" I turned my body to face Nicky as she said this, placing my hands on her shoulders shaking my head at her but she pushed me away. "I'm the who fined to Pornstache about Neptune. I'm the reason the drugs are still comin' in"

Red sat back in her chair visibly shocked by Nicky's betrayal. "Why?" Nicky then couldn't hold her emotions in anymore and broke down. I guided her body to the chair facing Red.

"I don't know" She admitted. "I was just mad at you for always shitting on me"

"I only sent Tricia to detox because I thought they would start an investigation. To put an end to all of this"

"I didn't know that" Nicky now stopped crying. "You were right to not trust me"

"Nicky, I trust you more than anyone. I always have. I do now more than ever" Nicky looked up at me in astonishment. Not understanding what Red was telling her, I gave her a half smile, pulling her into my side. "I now know you'll do whatever it takes to make things right. For Tricia. I was stupid to think this prison would ever look into things. Even if they caught Pornstache stuffing drugs down her throat, they'd do anything to avoid a scandal. It's up to us three now, Nicky" She said, including me in the plan to avenge Tricia's death. And we would start by taking down Mendez.


	9. Chapter 9

A couple of days after Tricia's death, Pornstache had decided to take it upon himself to clear her side of the cube, putting everything into a cardboard box. The family and I had crowded around the bunk with tears in our eyes. I was sniffling, trying to stop them from leaking out. He moved toward the hoodie, hanged on the hook beside her bed.

"Don't fucking touch it" Nicky told the guard.

"We'll take care of it from here" Red said entering the small space, going to the hangers and took the hoodie off it. She folded it tenderly and as any mother would, she smelt the fabric. Trying to imprint the scent into her mind.

Mendez stepped up behind her, attempting to threaten the small woman. "This shit better be spotless when I get back" he sneered. He stomped out of the cube and headed towards the guards office but changed his mind last minute and exited the room, not before bumping me into Norma and Nicky on the way past.

"Sorry" I mumbled to them. They got me steady on my feet again.

The kitchen was busy making sandwiches for lunch when Aleida Diaz, mother to Daya Diaz, entered the kitchen, trying to look casual. She caught my eye and I stopped separating the bread from into a brown and white pile.

"I wanna order some of that ginger gum. I got some commissary credit" She said to me in a hushed tone.

"There's ginger ale at commissary" I replied.

"No, I tried that shit. I got a really bad stomach thing"

"What's my name?" I challenged, folding my arms.

"What?

"I said, what's my name?" I repeated the question. The Latina woman shrugged her shoulders. "Exactly. All day long it's, 'get me this, get me that'. There are 250 women in here. I'm the only one with a British accent. Is it that hard to remember my name. I bet you know Red's name"

I knew it was wrong to take my frustration and grief out on the older woman but I couldn't help, she was there asking for something that I couldn't give. Emotions had been bubbling since the new broke about Tricia's suicide and I was ready to blow.

Red then came over carrying a bowl of apples, she handed me one and pushed me gently towards the clean trays that needed to be stacked where the inmates would place their order before receiving the food. I nodded and chomped on the apple before heading over to the beige trays carrying them a few at a time.

"Look, I don't mean no problems. Gloria said I should ask in here.."

"No problem." Red cut her off "Jane is just going through something. So she's a little sensitive at the moment" I scoffed when I heard Red's explanation for my behaviour. I blocked out the rest of the conversation, choosing to focus on my job instead.

As Mendez had left Tricia's box of stuff on the bed before leaving the room this morning, the family had gathered to see what we could keep of the items. Nicky had just tried on her flip flops and come to conclusion they were too small for her, so she chucked them my way, and they hit me in the head.

"Ow! Nichols, you shithead" I aimed, ready to throw them back at her.

"No. Toss those" Boo intervened. She took them from my hands and put them back in the box. I mouthed 'I'm watching you' to Nicky, who simply shrugged her shoulders. Nicky reached onto the bed beside where she was leaning on the cabinet, and picked up a small black comb. She looked down at it, her face growing sad.

"Here, I'll take that" Boo took the comb away from her. "Used it on her corn rows"

"You called her 'corn hoes' when she and Mercy started dating" Nicky chuckled.

"Yes, well..that was before she was dead. Besides, I told Mercy I'd keep a few things for her"

"You talked to Mercy?" I asked Boo.

"Yeah. I mean, somebody had to talk to her"

"That was good of you Boo" Nicky nodded at her.

"Remember when Danita tried to do Trish's cornrows?" Lorna asked. I couldn't help but smile at the memory of the young woman. She was so upset that day.

"Even Black Cindy couldn't fix that shit" Boo said with an uncontrollable laugh.

"Poor kid. She walked around looking like Ursula from _The Little Mermaid_ for weeks" Nicky said adding to the hilarious memory. We were now all laughing.

Chang came over holding a big bag, she looked towards the guard office to see who was on duty before she gave Norma some oranges. There must have been close to 20 in the bag.

"You eat" Chang said to Norma. Leaning on the wall trying to look discrete.

"Fucking Chang" Boo said, nodding in appreciation to the older Chinese woman who was now walking away. "Who would've thought it, huh?"

Grabbing an orange, I noticed Gloria, Maritza and Flaca coming. I tapped Norma on the shoulder and nodded to them getting her to notice them too. Gloria was holding some sort of a meal sandwiched between two plates.

"Fresh out of the microwave" She showed it to us all. It looked like some sort of a past dish. I tossed the orange up and down a few times, catching it with one hand as I watched Boo and Gloria exchange pleasantries.

"I always thought Tricia seemed nice. I mean, I never talked to her much or nothing but..she had a good vibe" Flaca began to speak. It's nice to know Tricia's lively, and kind hearted spirit touched everyone in the prison. One way or another. I gave her a small smile.

"Sucks she hung herself" Maritza said with a sadness replacing her usual happy and bright tone.

"I'm really sorry for your loss" Gloria said to the room and took the two other women with her, leaving us to the food she left in Boo's hand. Nicky bent down and sniffed it, almost moaning in delight. Her eyelid shut and you could tell her mouth was watering.

Poussey and Black Cindy were next to step in the room, heading over to the cube we were holding the memorial in.

"What's up?" Poussey said walking over and pulled me into a hug. "Thought ya'll could use some comfort food" I noticed she was a little more padded out than usual. I lifted her top up to find multiple candy bars, I laughed. I placed the orange down on the bed I was sat on, next to Jones, and opened one of the many chocolate bars Poussey had snuck pass the guard on duty. She then turned her back on me and lifted her top to show the girls on the other side of the room, and put the stash on top of the bed.

"Oh shit" Nicky exclaimed as a wide smile formed on her face. Black Cindy chucked a few crisp or, chip packets as they're called in America, onto the pile too.

"You know, I talked to her once in the food line. Man, we both hated goulash day" I laughed at the memory Cindy provided, remembering how she once ranted to me about it for half an hour, but then made me pinky swear not to tell Red.

"She pulled off them rows really nice, too" Poussey said to us. "Well, for a white girl" I snorted and took another bite from the gooey substance I was holding in my hand.

"Thanks for all this" Nicky nodded to them. Letting the two women know how much we all appreciated them coming to visit us.

"Oh, also.." Poussey bent down and handed Nicky a large potato chip bag. It looked heavy.

"Holy shit. Looked like they forgot to turn those potatoes into crisps" I said to Poussey.

"Shit!" Nicky exclaimed, not bothering to correct the word crisp. "You gotta check this out" She passed the bag my way, laughing.

"What? Let me see" I peeked inside the bag. "No way!" I pulled a bottle out the bag to show the rest of the group. It was full of Poussey's homemade hooch. God how this girl knew me. I put the bottle back in the bag, and passed it over to Boo. I pulled P into a hug. "Thank you so much" My eyes started to fill with tears again. She patted me on the back and swayed us until I was ready to let her go.

"You gotta pour one out for, right" Poussey said, making me promise.

"Looks like we're throwing a party" Boo said to the group as we watched Poussey and Cindy leave.

"Fucking A" Nicky approved.

"To Tricia, may she rest in peace" Lorna said, raising the bottle toward cardboard cutout we hade made of Tricia. She took a sip from the bottle and passed it down to me, I was sat by her feet. I also raised the bottle and took a sip, pulled a face and coughed as the liquid burned my throat. It had been so long since my last drink of anything other than water and coffee or tea.

I passed the bottle up to Boo. She walked around me and poured the liquid on the floor next to cardboard Tricia. I watched in astonishment as she wasted the precious liquid.

"What the fuck, Boo?" I exclaimed. The others also had the same thoughts as me, shouting similar things at her.

"Oh fuck off. Got to pour one out for our girl" Boo said shrugging and taking a sip of it. We all sighed. We didn't know what else to say. Suddenly the door slammed and we all scurried to hide the contraband.

"Shit" I whispered, stretching up to grab the bottle from Boo, putting it in between myself and the wall, hoping my body would shield it from view. "I thought you said they weren't doing rounds today" We all bowed our heads waiting to get a shot.

"Oh, it's just you" Jones sighed in relief. I raised my head to see it was only Piper. We all did a collective sigh and grabbed what we were eating, I grabbed the bottle and passed it over to Piper so she could have some.

Piper took a seat next to Alex, cradling the bottle.

"So this is what you guys decided instead of coming to me memorial, get drunk?" She asked.

Piper has set up a memorial thing in the chapel, she wanted everyone who knew Trish to go and say how they were feeling in safe place.

"Which looks like more fun?" Sister Ingles retorted

"Point, nun" Piper said back. Knocking the liquid in the plastic bottle back. "Mmhmm" She mumbled as she hesitated to swallow the foreign taste. "Why is having a drink so cathartic sometimes?"

"Booze helps you process" Boo said reaching over for the bottle so she could have some herself. "At least where I come from"

"My family just yelled at each other when they drank and then pretended like nothing happened" Piper said.

"Ah. This explains the wide-eyed, ice-princess uptight thing" Boo said nodding her head.

"I'm not uptight!" Piper argued back. We all started to laugh. Piper continued to disagree and the group, apart from Nicky, just laughed even harder at her until the cardboard Tricia fell off the hook, and the popcorn string we used for her hair dropped to make it look like she had hung herself. We all sobered up immediately remembering why we were all together. I quickly go up from where I was sat on the floor and put the cardboard cut out back on the hook.

"You're awfully quiet Nichols?" Alex said after a beat had passed.

"It's been a long day, you know" Lorna replied for her. I sat down on the floor next to Nicky so I could lean my head on Nicky's shoulder, rubbing her arm to comfort her. She leant her head on top of mine.

Boo grabbed a note book that Tricia had kept during her short life. "Look at this stuff. Still kept track of everything she owed everybody. How's that for karma, huh? Yoga? That girl was good. Better than any of us. Too fucking good for this fucking place"

"Well, fuck that. We all are" Nicky spoke up. Cuddling into me further.

"To Trish" Boo led the toast. We all repeated the sentiment, looking at the cardboard cutout, now secure on the wall.

Piper's fiancée, Larry, had discussed all our private lives whilst living in prison on a radio interview, leaving her dealing awkward and alone. She had confided in me when I was in the library choosing book to swap with the one I had finished. We had walked to the cafeteria together, once we had been handed our trays, we had over to the table Lorna, Nicky and Alex were sitting at.

She had gotten a few glares and tuts as we walked pass the few tables to get to them. She turned round to make sure I was still behind her, I nodded and gave her quick smile before I made my face stoic again. Once we reached the table the conversation died down.

"Hey kid, you doing alright?" Nicky asked me as I took the seat next to her, Piper took the place opposite to me sitting next to Alex. "At least you wasn't mentioned. So that's good thing right"

"Yeah I don't know if it is though. Am I not important enough to her?" I kept my voice low turning to Nicky so Piper didn't hear.

I put some salad on my fork ready to put it in my mouth when I saw Pennsatucky enter the room. Her eyes looked hollow from underneath the hood she had put up to hid her face from view. She was hugged by Leanne, it took her a second to accept it and hug her back.

"Oh, fuck!" Nicky said watching Claudette storm over. She clearly heard what Larry had to say about her.

Piper stood up to try and calm the older woman down, Alex stood up too trying to help the situation.

"I am so so..so sorry" Piper said slowly and calmly. "I had no idea that he was gonna say those things"

"Is that what you think of me?" Claudette asked. Angry tears filling her eyes. She looked ready to attack Piper. The blonde stayed silent but the silence said everything Claudette needed to hear. The older woman's lip quivered as she looked Piper up and down before storming off out of the room.


	10. Chapter 10

The prison was entering into the Christmas countdown and I have to confess, it's my favourite time of year, I love the message of family and friendship the seasonal holiday brought. I was with Jones and Watson helping them decorate the television room with tinsel and paper decorations. Watson had only come into the room because Luschek sent her to check the electrics.

"They said the video machine got unhooked" Watson explained to us.

"There's this, uh, Guatemalan grandma who's been teaching herself English watching _Turner and Hooch _about six times a day" The yoga instructor explained. "I'm guessing someone got tired of it"

Watson looked at me to see if see should continue the conversation, she hadn't really spoken to Erica since the incident before Thanksgiving. I smiled her encouragingly. Trying to communicate to her that I'd mediate the talk, so if a fight broke out I'd stop it before it escalated.

"I came by yoga today" Watson stated.

"Oh. Well, I'm taking a little break" Jones said to her, helping be stick the 'Happy Hanukkah' sign to the wall.

"I thought yoga was a little break" The other woman said fiddling with the wired from the machine hanging in the wall.

"It was. Then I hit you. You can only take so much Zen, you know. Sometimes..you wanna feel something"

"You gotta talk about it sometime" I piped up, from where I was, looking in the box of Christmas decorations.

There was a second of silence. Jones swallowed before she decided to open up about her past. "I used to grow marijuana out in California, Humboldt County. One acre, nothing crazy" I stopped looking in the box and sat down on the chair beside me. "Just enough to keep me going"

"Goin', like, baked?" Watson interrupted to clarify.

"Like, pay the rent. I mean I smoked it once in a while but mostly I was..just a good old-fashioned drunk like my parents raised me to be"

"So the feds shut you down?" I asked.

"Actually, it was the deer" Jones answered. I tilted my head to the side and I raised my eyebrows. She chuckled at my facial expression. "Oh yeah, deer love weed. Fucks them right up, too" Watson and I giggled at the thought of a deer stumbling round because they were high on the stuff. "They start jumping around all over the place. Then they come back for more and the kicker is, you can't keep them out. I tried everything. Soap shavings, fox pee - which they sell at the Home Depo for $120 a gallon"

"Seems like you could have just built a fence" Said Watson.

"No, a deer can jump and eight-foot barb wire fence with a smile on its face, like Donald O'Connor" I saw Jones was struggling to tape tinsel around the window ledge on her own so I got up to help her keep it in place whilst she taped it down. "I got a hunting rifle and stayed up all night, four, five times a week. And finally, one night I see them rustling around the edge of my property, where I was growing the quality shit this..hybrid plant called AK-47 which the fake prescription people eat up like peanuts. I was pissed."

"And drunk?" I asked not unkindly.

"Oh, honey, that goes without saying. I shot him..And it wasn't a deer" Jones was starting choke up. The words getting stuck in her throat as she struggled with her emotions. "I was..an 8 year old kid from the farm next door who was running away from home because his..his dad took away his Nintendo"

"Shit" Watson whispered from behind me. Dropping the wires on to the table she now rested the video player on.

"And they buried him on their property in a box"

I saw CO Fischer walk pass the window from the corner of my eye. She was watching us with a frown on her face. She then came thudding in to the room, looking like she was ready to tear all three of us apart, slamming the door open.

"Work hours means no socialising whatsoever inmates" Her soft voice triying to intimidate us but it didn't really work.

"It was a mistake" Jones turned around to face the correction officer, tears streaming down her face and her nose red.

"Oh, no" Fischer realised she had walked in on something and wanted to back away from the moment she had interrupted.

"We're having a moment here" Watson said defensively.

"Shit. I'm sorry. Carry on" Fischer walked backwards, slammed the door and continued down the corridor.

The room went silent as we all tried to process what had happened in the last few minutes. Jones had been through so much. e all had, but prison has a way of bringing us all close together. Almost like a family.

It had circulated the prison that Miss Claudette's appeal to get out of prison had crumbled into the dust meaning she was going to be spending the rest of her life in prison. She had returned to the prison looking like a zombie. I had managed to get a glimpse of her wandering down the hallway.

"Inmate, where's your badge?" Fischer shouted at her. But Claudette just ignored the guard. "Inmate, I'm talking to you. That nail polish in non-regulation, where did you get that?"

When Claudette refused to answer her, Fischer repeated the question only this time she got as close as she could to the older inmate. What is wrong with the female guard today? I wondered. It's like she's had a personality transplant with Mendez.

Something inside Claudette snapped and she pushed Fischer up against the wall attempting to strangle her. Fischer was now choking, the inmate only narrowed her eyes and pressed on the neck harder. The commotion had alerted two other guards near by the incident to come rushing across and they grabbed Claudette. They took her down using force and dragged her to the van saying she was going to Maximum Security Prison. But Claudette just look defeated.

A crowd had formed to watch the inmate be dragged away by O'Neil. I didn't even realise I frozen to my spot until I felt a hand pull me out the way. I looked up to see Nicky, I nodded my thanks to her. Just then a familiar face walked out the door to where new prisoners where being held in their orange uniforms. It was Taystee. I stood there in shock and the crowd gasped.

"What we lookin' at?" She leant her arm on Piper's shoulder. Piper smiled at her pulled the woman into a hug.

I ended up heading to the Library with Taystee as she was handed her old job role back. I headed to the autobiographical secretion whilst Taystee put books from the cart into their original place on the shelf. I sat at the table next to where she was working and opened my book. Sure, I was upset to see her back in this hell hole but I was also happy she was back, I missed her.

I saw Poussey walk in and sneak up on her best friend. "You wanna talk about it?"

"Not really" The woman in the orange coloured uniform replied.

"I have to give you a titty-twister You'll be feelin' that shit next week"

"What they don't tell you when you get out? They gonna be up your ass like the KGB. Curfew every night, pee in a cup whenever the say. You gotta do three job interview in a week for jobs you never gonna get. Probably ion officer callin' every minute, checkin' up. Man, at least in jail you get dinner" Taystee explained her situation to Poussey. P just looked at her friend with a mixture of sadness and disappointment.

She walked over and slapped Taystee on the back of the head in frustration causing her to turn round creaming 'Ow' and cursing Poussey.

"Man, where do you think you at, Paris Hilton?" She asked. "Yo, there's bitches in here doing 15 years for letting their boyfriend do deals in the kitchen 'cause they was afraid of getting beat if they said no. And there's bitches ain't seen their kids since they was babies, and them kids got they own babies now, or they're runnin' around the street carryin' guys and shit. No one watching over 'em. I've been in her two years..and I got four more. Eight moths ago when I waxing fuckin' floors in the cafeteria my moms passed. And I wasn't there to say the shit you supposed to say to you mom before she gone. So I know you ain't tellin' me in my face right now that you walked back in this place 'cause freedom was inconvenient for you?"

"It ain't like that, P. Minimum wage is some kind joke. I got part-time workin' at Pizza Hut, and I still owe the prison $900 in fees I gotta pay back. I ain't got no place to stay. Everyone I kno is poor, in jail, or gone. I got fucked up in the head, you know?" Emotions took over Taystee then. She had to take a deep breath to calm down before she continued. "I know how to play it here. Where to be..and what rules to follow. I got a bed. And I got you"

"I really missed you" Poussey admitted. Taystee let out a breath and went to hug her. They stayed there for a minute before she looked at me "Get in here, Grey" So I put my book down and hugged them both letting time tick by.


	11. Chapter 11

p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Every year the prison puts on a Christmas show apparently. It's different each time, but Sister Ingles and Sophia wanted to focus on the nativity this year. I had decided to audition with some other inmates to show off our talents. /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Grey" Sophia shouted, putting her head out the doorway of the chapel. I sighed nervously and I got up. /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""You'll do great, kid" Nichols whispered as I walked by her to the chapel. I got up on stage and decided to sing /spanspan style="font-style: italic; font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Last Christmas/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" by the wonderful, George Michael, well technically it was Wham! If we were successfully in the audition we got given a part in the show. We also wouldn't have work duty and get paid for being on stage and helping with decorate the set instead. /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"I was talking to Norma about the show, it was exciting. I had never really been involved in something like it before. I had gotten the part of Shepard number 4. She nodded and smiled at me letting me know she was listening to every word I was saying. Red was running around the kitchen like a headless chicken, trying to get things sorted for Christmas dinner, despite it being five days away. She was trying out a slightly different menu apparently. /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""What part of 'out of the kitchen effective immediately' did you not understand?" Mr Caputo asked Red. I stopped talking to Norma so we could watch from where we stood. /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Without my produce order, I have to re-plan the whole holiday menu. I can't sit on the bench all day while you play out this little power trip. We'll all be eating sardines for Christmas" Red retorted desperate to keep her spot as Head Chef at the prison. /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""You're going to be eating prison loaf when I drag you to seg by that purple pelt on your head" Mr Caputo retorted his patience wearing thin. "Now, have some self-respect and don't make me do it" He lowered his voice trying to convince the woman to do as he said. /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"The kitchen staff stopped what they were doing. We all watched as they had a staring contest. CO O'Neil then brought Gloria into the kitchen. The Puerto Rican woman looked at us all. /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""It feels serious in here" She commented. /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Oh, it smell good, though. What kind of soup is that?" The large man asked Gina who was staring the soup with a large wooden spoon. /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Navy Bean, I'll save you a bowl" Gina replied with the usual scowl on her face./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Gloria, you are reassigned to the kitchen. Head cool..queen bee. You start now" Mr Caputo got straight to the reason Gloria was there. I silently gasped and held on to Norma. /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Can I bring my people?" Gloria asked./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Whatever you need to do" Mr Caputo replied. "Get the forms from O'Neil" I guess that'll be me out of a job then. /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""This is bullshit and you know it" Red's accent was getting stronger, which meant she was angry. "This whole place will fall apart when I'm gone"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Let's go" Mr Caputo grabbed the Russian by the arm and practically dragged her from the kitchen. /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"The usual group of Boo, Lorna, Nicky and myself had decided to sit together for breakfast. Nicky had wrote names on bits of paper and were stuffing them into a sock. /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Okay so, for Secret Santa, I've got Boo, Lorna, Me, Gina, I'm putting Alex and Jane in. Think we should ask Chapman?" Nicky asked the table./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""I think she'd give a good gift" Lorna said after she swallowed her eggs. I nodded at her from where I sat, all for Piper to be included./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""I agree, I want some of that cream she always makes for herself" I said, bumping my shoulder with Nicky. /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Come on you guys, Secret Santa is supposed to be like family. What, you honestly think Chapman and Vause are family?" Boo commented. I didn't know whether to frown or smile. I felt relieved and happy Boo thought of me as a family but my heart broke slightly for the other two who seemed to be drifting. /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""I think it's nice" shrugged Lorna. "We don't have Mercy anymore. And Tricia"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Let's throw 'em in. Expand the circle. It fucking Christmas" I clapped once excitedly and smiled at Nicky, happy she wanted to include my friends. /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""All right, All right" Boo put her hands up in surrender. She agreed to the plan. "Hey, you gonna finish those eggs?" She asked me pointing her fork to the tray. I pulled it further towards me. /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""NO! You can't have these. They're good this morning" I said. Putting a hand over a mouth. "Do not tell Red I said that, she'd skin me alive"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""As far as we're concerned, breakfast was a mess, right Lady Jane?" Nicky said putting her arm around me, stopping me from panicking too much. Lorna and Boo nodded. /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Sure. But when she gets back in the kitchen, could you ask her to make the eggs like this?" Boo commented stealing an unfinished egg from my tray. I wasn't quick enough to stop her with my plastic knife. "They are delicious" She said with her mouth full of my egg, I rolled my eyes and stuck my tongue out at her. Lorna nodded her head shovelling another bite into her red lipstick covered mouth./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""You're both asking for fucking trouble" Nichols said to the other two on the opposite side of the table. She unwrapped her arm around from my shoulder continuing to put the small pieces of paper with our names on into the sock. /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Nicky and I decided to both look for Red to make sure she was okay. We found her taking a pot noodle from the microwave in the common room. /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""There she is" I said cheerfully wrapping my arms around her shoulders from side on. /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""And standing up! I heard you'd gone horizontal" Nicky said. I stepped away from Red as she turned to face us. /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""I'm not here. I'm outside raking dirt somewhere. You don't see me" She said, stirring the pot with a plastic fork. /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""All right. You gotta pick your name for the Secret Santa" The natural redhead cleared her throat and stepped forward holding the sock out to the woman she was as her mother figure./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Not this year, Nicky. I'm not in the mood"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Come on, Red You love Christmas. Your sons come up, I mean, with their big-haired wives. I can't wait to see what Sparkle Tits wears this year" Nicky commented, trying to convince Red to join in the fun./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Sparkle Tits and Yuri have split. She took the kids and the tits and the guinea pig and moved to Sheepshead Bay. So, how was breakfast?" Red asked./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Spicy" I said. "And my potatoes were cold"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""But it wasn't a disaster?"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Nicky and I looked at each other and the back at Red before Nicky answered. "I heard that someone found a long black hair in her eggs but it went unconfirmed" Red looked visibly upset. "What? Should we have gone on a hunger strike?"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""They all work in kitchens now, don't they?" Red asked talking about Hispanic people. "They pop out of a trunk of a car and learn to fry an egg. God bless America"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""You can't blame Gloria" I told her. "She's just trying to make the best of a bad situation"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Fucking Mendez" Red cursed the now suspended guard. "This is not how it was supposed to go"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""None of this is how it's supposed to go. You're tougher than woodpecker lips. You'll be okay" Nicky said to her softly. She sighed and grabbed a name from the sock. "Here. Just get whoever it is something nice. It's good karma. Sometimes that shit comes back around" Nicky grabbed my hand and pulled me out the room, I sent the former head cook a small smile a we turned the corner. /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"The next day we were helping Sophia and Sister decorate the already built set on the stage in the chapel. I was helping Lorna pull apart the different coloured tinsel's so Alex, Nicky and Boo could use them either on the walls around the chapel or around the wooden set, that is supposed to be the barn for the play./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""C'mon Jane tell us who you have?" Alex taunted./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""No! It's a secret!" I insisted not looking at Boo. But Boo laughs./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Some secret, You just got finished asking me what my favourite colour is and if my feet get cold" Boo teased me. I threw down the tinsel I was holding./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""If I was making you slippers, which I'm not, I wouldn't be anymore. So you just get used to having cold feet, that ain't magenta!" I shouted at the butch woman. Sure she as one of my best friends but that didn't mean she had to be so rude. Oh how I hate periods, they always make me over emotional. "C'mon Lorna, lets decorate over here, away from the grinches" I grabbed the box of tinsel and went to the back of the hall. I heard them all laugh at me as I huffed away and nearly fell off the stage. /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Wow" I heard Boo say "You need to fuck her and get rid of all that tension. For someone so small she sure has a lot of anger in her"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Yeah, I don't think I'd survive getting my heart broken by that one" Nicky responded. I looked back at her, she wasn't looking my way instead she was talking to Alex. They were laughing about something, I felt jealousy bubble inside of me. Wait...since when did I start developing feelings for Nicky./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Hey sweetie, I got you for Secret Santa" Lorna said, taking my eyes off watching Nicky laugh. "I thought you could do with part of the gift now" She pulled out a chocolate bra from down her bra. It was a little melted but I didn't mind. I pulled Lorna into hug and nearly cried on shoulder./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""How did you know this is my favourite?" I asked opening the wrapper and taking a bite./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"She giggled her fairy-like laugh "Because you get them every Tuesday, silly" She replied, going back to choosing what colour tinsel would go well with green. /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"It was a couple of days later and it was the evening of the show. The Chapel was filling up with inmates and CO officers on and off duty. Christmas music was being played on the speakers. Sophia was putting on my fake beard back stage./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""There. You know you make a really handsome man" I laughed at the compliment./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Thanks, I think. But I'm not changing into a man"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Shame. I think me and you could've ruled this prison being the number one power couple" Sophia winked at me, making sure my fake beard was secure before going to the next prisoner needing help with make up in the salon. /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Suddenly we heard three bells in the hallway, signalling the show would start in a few minutes and we all needed to take our places. I was pushed down to the back of the backstage area as I wasn't needed until at least half way through the show. We heard a huge round of applause from the audience as Cindy, Taystee and Poussey went on stage./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"They harmonised a version of /spanspan style="font-style: italic; font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Joy to the World/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;" to start the narrative of the nativity story. Backstage we mouthed along with the words. The crowd lapped it up. Just as Lorna and Rosa were about to enter onto the stage, Poussey decided to go off script and sing emAmazing/em emGrace/em. We all tried to quickly rush to the door to watch her perform with the other two harmonising. It brought a tear to everyone's eyes, we all tried to get it together before continuing the play./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"It got to near the end of the show and everyone was on stage. Being so small, I was put toward the front of the ensemble. I felt a tap on my shoulder I looked around to see Boo pointing down at her feet. She was showing me the socks I had knitted her for Secret Santa. My heart felt like it was going to burst I was so happy./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Thank you. Merry Christmas" She mouthed to me./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""You're welcome" I mouthed back. Hand on my heart. The inmates surrounding us got annoyed with us, I just stuck my tongue out at them and heard Boo mutter 'sorry' and the she laughed at my response. /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Joseph..I'm not feeling very well. I'm really tired and I have a pain" Lorna, who was playing Mary, projected to the crowd. "I think it's time for the baby to be born" She placed her hands on the ballooned stomach, with a smile on her face./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Please, Mary. Lie down here on this nice bed, I made in the straw" Joseph said, played by Rosa./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Oh yeah lay down Mary!" I heard Flaca shout from the crowd. She was still bitter about not getting a main part in the show. All the inmates roared with laughter and clapped./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Jesus fucking Christ" I heard Boo mutter behind me. That I did giggle at./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""All right, ladies. Knock it off! Knock it off!" CO Bell shouted trying to regain control of the crowd. "Joseph..You were saying?"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Lie down, Mary, it won't be long now" Rosa shouted, continuing her interrupted line. Lorna lay down on hay and pretended to have a baby. Piano music began to play./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Everyone, who had a part in the show, was now on stage for the final song /spanspan style="font-style: italic; font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"I saw the Light/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;". After the chorus, Suzanne stepped in front, taking centre stage to sing. It was her turn to shine. She took a deep breath, ready to belt out the sole verse but she froze. Cindy kept playing the same chord over and over, the crowd was getting impatient, some were even laughing. /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"span style="font-size: 11pt; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Suddenly a quiet, angelic voice started to sing. We all cast our attention on to Norma. The woman who was a mute usually can sing. We pushed her to the centre of the stage, Suzanne had stepped back and tried to run but Taystee had stopped her from causing herself any harm. During the song we saw Doggett run off the stage after Piper. I guess we wouldn't know what was happening there until after it happened. But right now, I'm enjoying myself to much to care. /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; min-height: 13.1px;" /p 


	12. Chapter 12

It was now well into the new year. Miss Fig had set up a mock job fair, so over the course of the week we could participate in various activities to help us gain confidence in what life could potentially look like for us on the outside. I know technically I had 2 and half years left in this place but it couldn't hurt to try I decided.

I had signed up for the first item on the itinerary list: 'How to dress for a job interview?'. I was in the common room with three rails full of hangers with different garments on. A number of inmates had signed up to participate too; Taystee, Sophia, DeMarco, Black Cindy, Lorna, Nicky and Flaca had all signed up along with myself.

"This is sweeet!" Taystee commented holding a black and blue dress over her body still on the hanger. "Yo, I'd rock this if I wasn't being all professional"

"Why you care? You know it's all bullshit" Black Cindy said to her.

"Bullshit or no, I wanna win!" The other girl exclaimed to her friend.

Mrs Sackin, who was overseeing the competition, stepped in to the conversation. "Ladies, it's about making a good first impression" I was holding up the dress Taystee had put back on the hanger. I spun around showing Lorna, she shook her head took it from and put it back. Instead, she silently handed me a slimming strappy red dress and black blazer. It looked like it was going to be too big for me but I doubted the woman stocked children sizes for my small frame, so this would have to do.

"You got anything in white? My mother always said that was my colour" Lorna asked Mrs Sackin. The woman pointed to the another rack. I was stepping into the red dress. It had a zip along the back of the dress, I couldn't reach round to pull it up.

"Hey Nicky, can you help zip me up?" I asked her as she fastened her blazer buttons. She nodded her head, pulling my hair out the way, she slowly zipped the dress up. Her hands stroked the back of my neck, along my tattoo and goosebumps formed on my arms as I stiffened up a little at the contact. Nicky cleared her throat and stepped back. "Thanks" I whispered to her.

"Urgh! I mean, you could smell every inmate that's ever worn this. You ever wash this shit?" Nicky directed the question to the woman holding the competition, smelling the clothes she was wearing.

I was right my dress was a little to big but I secured it with safety pins CO Bell had in her pocket and the black blazer also hid the issues too.

"You got something for the larger woman? Big and beautiful?" Cindy asked.

"We have plus size on the end there" Mrs Sackin told Cindy.

"Aw, shit. Man, I don't wanna wear no sack" Cindy complained about the dress she found in the plus size section, which was technically two dresses. "I got curves. I'm a plushious woman" I gave her a high five and started to do my make up.

"If this is really about career dressing for us, shouldn't this be all, like McDonald's and maids' uniforms" Flaca said rifling through her clothes choices.

"No! Do not think small. We are dressing ourselves for the career that we want" Mrs Sackin interrupted our laughter. "You have to put it into the universe dress for success" I turned back to the mirror and continued putting on my eyeshadow.

"What if I wanna be, like, a marine biologist?" Leanne questioned. She had a floral print dress on over her uniform. "You got a wet suit?" Her comment made us all giggle a little picturing Leanne in a wet suit.

"If you want to apply for a job in marine biology, you might have to go to an office for an interview" Mrs Sackin then pulled out a pastel pink coloured top and gave it to Leanne. "What about this? The peach tones would look so good with your skin" She held the top up to Leanne's face, convincing her to try it on.

Sophia had put on a dress made of sequins on. It looked so sparkly in the light. "Could someone help zip me, please?" She asked us, trying to reach for the zip.

"I don't think that's gonna work" Nicky told her.

"You callin' me fat?"

"No" Nicky denied quickly. "I'm just saying you're broad. You're like broad broad" I giggled as Sophia scoffed. Nicky sent a smirk my way. I continued my search for a dark red lipstick as Lorna, Taystee and helped the man turned woman zip up the sequinned dress.

"How's it look?" Sophia asked as she did a little twirl.

"Like I don't want to be anywhere near you when this beads pop off and shoot people in the face" I said, blotting my lipstick with a tissue, so it wouldn't smudge. Sophia gave me the finger and I sent an innocent smile her way.

"Out of curiosity, what kind of job were you thinking of gettin' in that?" Lorna asked. I went over and sat on the table, crossing my right leg over my left.

"I'm just here playin' dress-up" I giggled at Sophia's answer. Well, at least she's honest.

"Ladies, you better get movin'. We're walki' over to the chapel in 10 minutes" Bell ordered us. I just sat there and watched all the other ladies get dress and helping them with their make up.

"So, as you can see, we have a very exciting few days planned for all of you" Fig said as she was finishing her introductory speech. "And now to start things off, here from Dress for Success, to give you some dos and don'ts of interviews dressing, Mrs Sackin" Everyone clapped and cheered for her as the woman made her way to centre stage.

"Thank you. Dressed for Success is the premier support network for today's unemployed woman. Let us begin our journey. Ladies" Mrs Sackin encouraged us to line up behind her so she could asses our looks. The women in the audience howled and wolf whistled at us as we took our stances. "Okay, right away, what do we see?" She looked to Sophia. "That a cocktail dress is not proper interview attire. This is not corporate or even daytime wear. Wholly unprofessional"

"I'm just showing off my assets" Sophia said stepping in front, so she wasn't in the line anymore. She gave a spin, the crowd cheered her on.

"Next I'm going to say leopard, little sailor girl and our friend in peach here are not properly attired for an interview. The animal print is too racy and implies poor judgment, and the sailor outfit is childish. Companies are looking to hire adults. And finally the peach is simply ill-fitting, dated and not flattering"

"But you told me to wear it" Leanne retorted. Lorna, who wore the sailor style dress and DeMarco in her leopard print top looked annoyed. But she still did a little twirl and pose for the audience to cheer at. "I just wanna swim with dolphins"

"Thank you, you can leave the stage now" That left five of us on stage. Mrs Sackin turned to me and I squinted at her. "Okay, lets look what's going up right here. The red suits her complexion, the red lipstick is a bold choice but it matches the dress so it gives off a professional vibe. The blazer covers up any indecency the dress gives with the shoulders. However, instead of Mary-Jane heels I'd wear flats with black stockings to cover up the legs" I blew a kiss to the audience and waved at them as they cheered. She then moved on to judging Flaca's outfit. "This is a good interview outfit. It fits her well. The dark stockings gives it a conservative, polished finish. I believe the makeup is a bit gothic and heavy-handed, but overall the look is solid"

"That's right, solid" Flaca repeated waving to the crowd.

"Another strong ensemble we have is the pantsuit and blouse" Nicky undid the top button of the jack showing off the blouse. She flicked up the collar with her thumb and forefinger. "It's classic. However, we do run into some serious problems with personal grooming here"

"Huh?" Nicky questioned.

"The hair, it's messy, unpolished and unkempt"

"My hair is clean" I went behind Flaca, reached up and ruffled Nicky's hair. She scowled at me and batted my hand away.

"I can confirm after examination, it is clean" I staged whispered to Mrs Sackin. The crowd roared with laughter but the woman judging ignored me.

"It's wild and slovenly" She told Nicky

"I'm sorry it's not uptight and boring" I laughed a Nicky's retort.

"But here, the hair is nicely coiffed, the makeup is subtle and understated" Mrs Slackin moved on to Taystee. "However, the shirt is too sheer, and the skirt is too tight"

"Uh-uh, hold up. Pause. At job fair last year, this was the winnin outfit. I seen it myself. That's why I picked instead of the blue dress I know I'd look bangin' in" Taystee argued.

"Let's talk amount about dressing your body type and your skin tone. A fuller-figured woman might wanna choose a looser-fitting garment, perhaps a dress as opposed to a shirt and a skirt. Not as loose as this, which resemble a large burlap muumuu" Cindy exaggerated her eye roll to the judge. She was dressed in an oversized dark pink dress with minimum make up on. "But something in a jewel tone with a contrasting scarf.."

Taystee turned to face her and cut her off "Man, i still look hella office. I walk in, they be like, 'yeah, she know her business.''' The rest of the inmates in the audience cheered her on. "So who wins?" Everyone on stage took a step forward, crowding the woman until she picked a winner of this event.

"Overall, despite the excessive eye makeup, I would have to give it to this young lady right here" Mrs Sackin pointed to Flaca.

"That's right, Latina, we the winna" Flaca said dancing on the stage. She dragged me to her side and we hip bumped each other. I laughed and offered my congratulations to her, shouting over the crowd clapping.

"Okay so I took this stupid test" I said to the man in front of me. We were sat at a table in the common room. I passed him my test results along with my resume. "It says, I can either be a biochemist, a science teacher or a sales assistant. You do know where you are right? I won't be able to get any of this because I'm a convicted drug dealer"

He looked at me over his glasses. "Yeah but you did quite a number of jobs before you was caught, it says here you worked in a restaurant and worked behind a bar" I nodded.

"Sure I did, and then I got tangled up in drugs"

"Okay so if you go back to working behind a bar when you get out, you can earn an honest living and then you can go on to be a teacher at a school or whatever you want to be"

"No, being a teacher sounds good to be honest. What qualifications do you need?" I asked him intrigued.

"Well you would need to finish your college degree and then you would need to do a teacher training course as an extra" I sighed. I knew I would be judged. It didn't matter what I wanted to do now, going to prison has changed the way people on the outside view me.

"Okay, thank you for your time. You really helped" I told the man. I pushed the chair back and head to my cube. I was grateful Erica wasn't there. I lay down on the bed faced the wall and let the tears fall.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I heard a strong New York accent ask. I turned my head and saw Nicky leaning against the cube entrance.

"Nothing. I just realised that it doesn't really matter what dreams I have, I'll never achieve them because I stupidly ended up in prison" I told her sniffling.

She walked over moved my legs so she could sit down. She put my legs back on her lap and stroked my shin and calf in a comforting gesture.

"Shhhhh. It's okay. I think you'll be fine when you get out. You're a survivor, I mean look at you. You're acing this place. You've made friends with so many of these bitches, I don't think any of them see you as someone to be wary of" Her saying nice things about me, made me cry harder. She lifted her arm. I took as an invitation to put my head on her lap. Nicky then began stroking my hair as I fell asleep.

It was later on in the week and the final day of the mock job fair at Litchfield. Some bald man was stood on the stage talking about second chances, I was hoping he finished soon and announce the overall winner because the chapel was so cold I'm positive my ass had frozen to the chair.

"We at the Philip Morris Companies believe in second chances. We welcome people who can handle the challenges of manufacturing and marketing products meant for adults in a highly regulated and restricted environment while striving each day to operate responsibly. Thank you"

Figueroa led the round of applause, I looked around me, every inmate looked as bored as I felt. "And now Mr Slovin will interview the two prospective employees. Many lessons to be learned here, ladies. Please pay close attention" The crowd clapped again as Taystee and Flaca, dressed in what they wore a few days ago, took their seats either side of the Mr Slovin facing each other.

There was a couple of questions thrown at both of them, Flaca tried to flirt with the man in the suit, however Taystee acted professionally and gave articulate answers. It was amazing to see her achieve. Mr Slovin announced her as the winner leading the chapel to thunder in applause and cheers for her.

"Okay and that concludes job fair" Figueroa comes back on stage concluding the events of the past week. "Thank you, everyone. Thank you" She shakes the man's hand and Taystee walks down the stage onto the blue carpeted floor of the chapel. I shifted out of the chapel with Black Cindy and Poussey talking about the activities this week had brought us.


End file.
